imposed a harsh burden

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "imposed a harsh burden" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to describe a situation where someone or something has placed a difficult or heavy responsibility on someone else. Example: "The new regulations imposed a harsh burden on small businesses, making it difficult for them to operate efficiently."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Academia

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

60 human-written examples

"Any approach that is not based on cooperative discussions and involves unilateral actions would be tantamount to default, would isolate the Greek economy from international capital markets for many years and would impose a harsh burden on the Greek people as well as European taxpayers," said Charles H. Dallara, managing director of the Institute of International Finance, a banking group.

The New York Times

Al-Shabaab has imposed a harsh form of sharia law in the southern part of Somalia.

The Guardian

By the end of April 1941, the Axis forces imposed a harsh occupation of the country.

The Guardian

In some areas of Rio, police "militias" have driven out drug-trafficking gangs and imposed a harsh order.

The Economist

Moreover typical aeronautical applications impose a harsh thermal environment.

Microelectronics Reliability

Once the Shabab take over an area, they impose a harsh form of Islamic law, banning music, soccer, even bras.

The New York Times

When a state superior court later forced Kistler to impose a harsher sentence, Kistler expressed regret.

The Guardian

But in Africa, war and economics are imposing a harsher tariff.

The New York Times

The court has ordered the original trial judge in Pretoria to impose a harsher sentence.

The Guardian

Certainly, misguided regulatory approaches have imposed a heavy burden on companies.

Harvard Business Review

"It would have imposed a huge tax burden on individuals and businesses throughout the state.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "imposed a harsh burden", ensure that the context clearly identifies who or what is doing the imposing and who or what is bearing the burden for maximum clarity and impact.

Common error

Avoid using "imposed a harsh burden" without clearly specifying who is imposing the burden and on whom. Ambiguity can weaken the sentence and confuse the reader.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "imposed a harsh burden" functions as a verb phrase, where "imposed" is the verb and "a harsh burden" is the direct object. This structure describes the act of placing a significant and difficult obligation or responsibility on someone or something. Ludwig AI confirms its usability.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

33%

Science

33%

Academia

33%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "imposed a harsh burden" is a grammatically correct and usable expression that describes the act of placing a significant and difficult obligation on someone or something. Ludwig AI confirms this. While relatively rare in occurrence, the phrase is most commonly found in News & Media, Science and Academia contexts. When using this phrase, it's important to clearly identify who or what is doing the imposing and who or what is bearing the burden to avoid ambiguity. Related phrases include "placed a heavy load" and "inflicted a severe hardship".

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

placed a heavy load

Replaces "burden" with "load" and "imposed" with "placed", slightly altering the imagery.

inflicted a severe hardship

Substitutes "harsh burden" with "severe hardship" and "imposed" with "inflicted", emphasizing the suffering caused.

exacted a heavy toll

Replaces "imposed a harsh burden" with "exacted a heavy toll", focusing on the cost or consequence.

levied a stringent penalty

Changes "harsh burden" to "stringent penalty" and "imposed" to "levied", implying a formal or legal imposition.

applied a rigorous demand

Replaces "harsh burden" with "rigorous demand" and "imposed" with "applied", emphasizing a strict requirement.

placed an onerous responsibility

Replaces "harsh burden" with "onerous responsibility" and "imposed" with "placed", highlighting the demanding nature of the task.

inflicted a crushing weight

Substitutes "harsh burden" with "crushing weight" and "imposed" with "inflicted", intensifying the sense of heaviness and oppression.

laid a grievous tax

Changes "harsh burden" to "grievous tax" and "imposed" to "laid", suggesting a financial or obligatory exaction.

set a demanding task

Replaces "harsh burden" with "demanding task" and "imposed" with "set", focusing on the challenging nature of the undertaking.

brought severe pressure

Substitutes "harsh burden" with "severe pressure" and "imposed" with "brought", emphasizing the strain or stress caused.

FAQs

How can I use "imposed a harsh burden" in a sentence?

This phrase describes placing a significant difficulty or responsibility on someone or something. For example, "The new regulations "imposed a harsh burden" on small businesses."

What are some alternatives to "imposed a harsh burden"?

You can use alternatives like "placed a heavy load", "inflicted a severe hardship", or "exacted a heavy toll" depending on the context.

Is it better to say "imposed a harsh burden" or "placed a heavy burden"?

Both phrases are grammatically correct, but ""imposed a harsh burden"" emphasizes the severity of the burden, while "placed a heavy burden" simply indicates a significant weight or responsibility.

What's the difference between "burden" and "hardship" in the context of "imposed a harsh burden" vs. "inflicted a severe hardship"?

"Burden" refers to something that is carried or endured, while "hardship" refers to suffering or difficulty. "Imposed a harsh burden" focuses on the responsibility or obligation, while "inflicted a severe hardship" emphasizes the negative impact on the affected party.