increasingly harder

USAGE SUMMARY

"increasingly harder" is a correct and usable phrase in written English.
It is usually used to describe a task or situation that is becoming more difficult to do or handle over time. Example: As I moved on to higher level math courses, the material and tests became increasingly harder.

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

53 human-written examples

As the man struggles for his rights, he is overwhelmed by increasingly harder blows.

The New Yorker

Over the past few years, top schools have become increasingly harder places to obtain admissions.

The New York Times

With decreasing shark numbers the fishermen find it increasingly harder to break even.

The Guardian

The disease, which destroys the air sacs in the lungs, makes it increasingly harder to breathe.

The New York Times

Worse still, it is getting increasingly harder for an author to survive on ever-dwindling commissions.

The Guardian - Books

It is increasingly harder for individual philanthropies to make their voices heard.

The New York Times

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

5 human-written examples

But they're increasingly hard to find.

The New York Times - Food

Also, rats are increasingly hard to kill.

The Guardian

It is increasingly hard to justify this.

The Guardian - Opinion

It could prove an increasingly hard sell.

The New York Times - Arts

But those places are becoming increasingly hard to avoid.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When describing a trend, use "increasingly harder" to emphasize the growing level of difficulty over time. For example, "As competition increases, securing funding becomes "increasingly harder"".

Common error

Be careful not to use "increasingly harder" in contexts where the increase in difficulty is already implied. Instead of saying "The climb became "increasingly harder" as we ascended higher", consider using "The climb became harder as we ascended higher" as the increased altitude already implies increasing difficulty.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "increasingly harder" functions as an adverbial modifier describing how an action or situation is changing over time. It amplifies the adjective "harder" with the adverb "increasingly", creating a sense of growing difficulty. As Ludwig AI indicates, this is a commonly used phrase to indicate an escalation in difficulty.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

55%

Science

30%

Formal & Business

10%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

2%

Wiki

1%

Reference

2%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "increasingly harder" is a grammatically sound and frequently used expression to denote a progressive escalation in difficulty. Ludwig AI confirms its correctness and usability in a variety of contexts, ranging from news and media to science and technology. As evidenced by a wealth of examples, the phrase effectively conveys that something is not only difficult but is also becoming more challenging over time. While "increasingly harder" enjoys widespread use, it's important to avoid redundancy and opt for more concise phrasing when the increasing difficulty is already implied. Related phrases, such as "progressively more difficult", offer subtle variations in meaning, allowing for more nuanced expression. Overall, "increasingly harder" is a versatile and reliable phrase for describing escalating challenges.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

progressively more difficult

Replaces "harder" with "more difficult" and "increasingly" with "progressively", indicating a gradual increase in difficulty.

becoming more challenging

Substitutes "harder" with "more challenging" which focuses on the difficulty as a test of one's abilities.

steadily growing tougher

Uses "tougher" as a synonym for "harder" and "steadily growing" for "increasingly", suggesting a consistent rise in difficulty.

ever more demanding

Employs "demanding" to describe the increasing requirements or efforts needed, rather than pure difficulty.

gradually more strenuous

Replaces "harder" with "more strenuous" indicating increasing effort and exertion required.

more and more arduous

Uses "arduous" to highlight the increasing laboriousness and demanding nature of the task.

mounting in difficulty

Focuses on the difficulty as something that is accumulating or building up over time.

becoming exceedingly difficult

Emphasizes the high degree of difficulty that is being reached.

challenging to a greater extent

Indicates that challenges are appearing at higher intensity.

posing greater challenges

Highlights the increasing challenges that are emerging.

FAQs

How can I use "increasingly harder" in a sentence?

You can use "increasingly harder" to describe a situation that is becoming more difficult over time. For example, "As I progressed through the course, the assignments became "increasingly harder"".

What is a synonym for "increasingly harder"?

Synonyms for "increasingly harder" include "progressively more difficult", "becoming more challenging", and "steadily growing tougher".

Is it grammatically correct to say "increasingly harder"?

Yes, it is grammatically correct to use "increasingly harder". The adverb "increasingly" correctly modifies the adjective "harder".

What's the difference between "increasingly harder" and "even harder"?

"Increasingly harder" indicates a gradual increase in difficulty over time, while "even harder" suggests a sudden or unexpected increase in difficulty.