highly challenging

USAGE SUMMARY

"highly challenging" is a correct and usable phrase in written English.
You can use it to describe a situation, task, goal, or activity involving significant difficulty or effort. For example: "The assignment for the course was highly challenging and required a good amount of research and critical thinking."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Academia

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

It is highly challenging to prepare stable functional carbon nanomaterials.

Electrochimica Acta

Developing a manufacturable monolithic compliant mechanism is highly challenging.

Materials Today: Proceedings

However, development of such is also highly challenging.

Water Research

"The outlook for the near term remains highly challenging with significant uncertainty".

The New York Times

It is highly challenging to detect hydrazine present in the tobacco selectively.

Electrochimica Acta

Attempting a highly challenging forward four and a half somersaults, the pair lost synchronisation and each entered the water clumsily.

The Guardian - Sport

Child protection cases, like so many other aspects of social work, are complex, multi-layered and highly challenging.

The Guardian

Establishing a baseline to measure students starting with a range of different assessments, he says, is highly challenging.

The Guardian

This makes the problem of optimal distributed load management highly challenging.

Computer Networks

Although it has been proposed as an attractive drug target, inhibitor discovery has proven highly challenging.

European Journal of Medicinal Chemistry

However, simultaneously satisfying all these three requirements has so far been highly challenging.

Acta Biomaterialia

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "highly challenging" to underscore the significant level of difficulty a task or situation presents. This conveys more intensity than simply saying something is "challenging".

Common error

Avoid using "highly challenging" as a generic descriptor. Ensure the context genuinely warrants the strong emphasis. Overusing it can dilute its impact and make your writing seem hyperbolic.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "highly challenging" primarily functions as a pre-modifying adjective phrase. It serves to intensify the adjective "challenging", indicating a significant degree of difficulty or complexity. Ludwig AI confirms its grammatical correctness and usability.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

Science

44%

News & Media

34%

Academia

9%

Less common in

Formal & Business

3%

Wiki

2%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "highly challenging" is a grammatically sound and frequently used phrase, as affirmed by Ludwig AI, that intensifies the adjective "challenging". It's suitable for various contexts, indicating a significant degree of difficulty. While versatile, be mindful of overuse to maintain its impact. Predominantly found in Science, News & Media, and Academic texts, this phrase effectively conveys the demanding nature of a task or situation. Consider alternatives like "extremely difficult" or "very demanding" for subtle variations in meaning.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

extremely difficult

Emphasizes the level of difficulty as being extreme.

very demanding

Highlights the intensity and effort required.

particularly complex

Focuses on the intricate and multifaceted nature of the challenge.

incredibly arduous

Stresses the strenuous and laborious aspect.

exceptionally tough

Underscores the resilience and strength needed.

seriously problematic

Highlights the troubles and issues that arise.

prohibitively difficult

Suggests the difficulty may prevent success.

remarkably intricate

Focuses on the detailed and elaborate nature.

unusually taxing

Emphasizes the depleting and burdensome nature.

notoriously difficult

Highlights the well-known difficulty.

FAQs

How can I use "highly challenging" in a sentence?

You can use "highly challenging" to describe tasks, situations or goals. For example: "The project proved to be "highly challenging" due to unforeseen complications."

What are some alternatives to "highly challenging"?

Alternatives include "extremely difficult", "very demanding", or "particularly complex" depending on the nuance you wish to convey.

Is it ever incorrect to use "highly challenging"?

While grammatically correct, using "highly challenging" might be inappropriate if the situation doesn't warrant such a strong descriptor. Consider whether a simpler term like "challenging" or "difficult" would be more accurate.

What makes something "highly challenging" versus simply "challenging"?

"Highly challenging" implies a significantly greater degree of difficulty and complexity than simply "challenging". It suggests the need for exceptional effort, skill, or resources to overcome the obstacles involved.