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Justyna Jupowicz-Kozak
CEO of Professional Science Editing for Scientists @ prosciediting.com
highly hard
Grammar usage guide and real-world examplesUSAGE SUMMARY
The phrase "highly hard" can be used in certain contexts to describe something that is extremely difficult or challenging.
It is not a commonly used phrase, but it is grammatically correct and can be used in written English. Example: Climbing Mount Everest is a highly hard task that requires months of training and specialized equipment.
✓ Grammatically correct
Science
News & Media
Table of contents
Usage summary
Human-verified examples
Expert writing tips
Linguistic context
Ludwig's wrap-up
Alternative expressions
FAQs
Human-verified examples from authoritative sources
Exact Expressions
3 human-written examples
In this paper, a novel method for fabricating highly hard, flexible and superhydrophobic DLC films with bio-mimicking micro textures using natural lotus leaf as templates is reported.
Combination of excellent physical and mechanical properties of highly hard, superhydrophobic as well as flexible DLC films with bio-mimicking textures will be beneficial for their potential applications as engineering material.
This is not terribly surprising for the cell types/numbers in an animal that follows a very rigorous cell lineage for generating neurons; connectivity is obviously another story but it is accepted that most invertebrates have a highly hard wired nervous system that varies very little with activity or the environment, or even with genetic variations.
Science
Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources
Similar Expressions
55 human-written examples
From the outside, at least, VanderZanden — who later settled with Lyft for undisclosed terms — seemed a man after the heart of Uber's original and highly hard-charging CEO, Travis Kalanick, whose tenure at the company ended in June of last year over its many cultural missteps.
News & Media
"Patience is highly energetic, extremely hard-working, and very talented," Nail told MSNBC.
News & Media
Considering the gross salinity, total hardness, pH, and other irrigation parameters, majority of the groundwater samples shows a fresh to highly saline, hard to very hard, slightly alkaline, and excellent to permissible nature, respectively.
Science
"Ms. Gochuico is a highly educated, hard working and honest professional," Mr. Romano said, "whose conduct has been grossly mischaracterized in this complaint.
News & Media
It took the largely useless virtual credits that the central planners issued to Soviet factories and converted them into highly valuable hard currency.
News & Media
However, because poly 3HB) is highly crystalline, hard and brittle, its practical applications are limited.
Science
Commercially available microcrystalline cellulose is derived from highly costly hard wood and also purified cotton.
These properties were also compared to a commercial brand Avicel® PH 101 (Fluka, New South Wales, Australia) that was obtained from highly costly hard wood.
Expert writing Tips
Best practice
While grammatically correct, consider using more common alternatives like "extremely difficult" or "particularly challenging" for better clarity and broader acceptance.
Common error
Avoid combining multiple uncommon intensifiers like "highly" and "hard". Opt for more direct and widely accepted phrases to maintain clarity and avoid sounding unnatural.
Source & Trust
84%
Authority and reliability
3.5/5
Expert rating
Real-world application tested
Linguistic Context
The phrase "highly hard" functions as an adjectival phrase, modifying a noun to describe its difficulty or intensity. While grammatically sound, it is less common than alternatives.
Frequent in
Science
50%
News & Media
50%
Formal & Business
0%
Less common in
Encyclopedias
0%
Wiki
0%
Social Media
0%
Ludwig's WRAP-UP
In summary, while grammatically correct, the phrase "highly hard" is a relatively uncommon way to express extreme difficulty or intensity. Ludwig identifies its grammatical correctness, but the phrase appears infrequently in corpora, suggesting that writers might favor more common alternatives such as "extremely difficult" or "particularly challenging". Its usage spans across scientific and news contexts, but it lacks a strong presence in formal business settings. For clearer communication, especially in formal or professional contexts, opting for more conventional phrasing is advisable.
More alternative expressions(6)
Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:
extremely difficult
Replaces "highly hard" with a more common and direct expression of difficulty.
particularly challenging
Substitutes "highly hard" with a phrase that highlights the demanding nature of something.
intensely difficult
Uses "intensely" to amplify the difficulty, offering a more vivid description than "highly hard".
exceptionally arduous
Replaces both words with synonyms, resulting in a more formal and impactful phrase.
incredibly tough
Employs "incredibly" and "tough" for a slightly less formal but equally emphatic alternative.
remarkably strenuous
Offers a more sophisticated vocabulary choice while maintaining the emphasis on difficulty.
exceedingly laborious
Replaces "highly hard" with a description that emphasizes the effort required.
singularly demanding
Uses "singularly" to emphasize the unique and intense difficulty of something.
unusually taxing
Highlights the draining or burdensome aspect of the difficulty.
uncommonly severe
Emphasizes the intensity of the difficulty, suggesting a high degree of impact or consequence.
FAQs
What are some alternatives to "highly hard"?
You can use alternatives like "extremely difficult", "particularly challenging", or "incredibly tough" depending on the context.
Is "highly hard" grammatically correct?
Yes, "highly hard" is grammatically correct, but it's not a commonly used phrase. More conventional alternatives might be preferable for clarity.
In what contexts might I use "highly hard"?
While versatile, "highly hard" could be used to describe demanding tasks or durable materials, but keep in mind that more common synonyms might be more readily understood.
Is there a difference between "highly hard" and "very hard"?
While both phrases indicate difficulty, "very hard" is far more common and universally understood. "Highly hard" might sound slightly unusual or forced in comparison.
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Table of contents
Usage summary
Human-verified examples
Expert writing tips
Linguistic context
Ludwig's wrap-up
Alternative expressions
FAQs
Source & Trust
84%
Authority and reliability
3.5/5
Expert rating
Real-world application tested