it is difficult to find

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase 'it is difficult to find' is a correct and usable phrase in written English.
You can use this phrase when you are talking about something that is hard to find, locate, discover, or identify. For example, "It is difficult to find a parking spot in the city centre."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

59 human-written examples

"It is difficult to find the money.

The Guardian

It is difficult to find coherence.

The Guardian

Now it is difficult to find a decent shortlist.

The Guardian

It is difficult to find space to play.

The Guardian - Sport

Indeed, it is difficult to find anyone who has a bad word to say about him.

The Guardian

So far, it is difficult to find much overlap between the American and Iranian proposals.

The New York Times

And it is difficult to find out.

Forbes

It is difficult to find comparable cases.

Journal of Organization Design

It is difficult to find an analytical solution to (3).

EURASIP Journal on Advances in Signal Processing

It is difficult to find an answer from Russell.

SEP

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

1 human-written examples

It is difficult to find one periodic ordering that will successfully index all the spots.

Nanoscale Research Letters

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "it is difficult to find", clearly specify what you're trying to find to provide context and clarity for your audience.

Common error

Avoid using "it is difficult to find" when the task is only mildly challenging. Instead, use alternatives like "it can be tricky to find" for less significant challenges.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "it is difficult to find" functions as a descriptive statement expressing the challenge or difficulty associated with locating or discovering something. As Ludwig AI confirms, this phrase is usable in English. It's used to frame a situation where the act of finding is not straightforward.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

Science

54%

News & Media

28%

Formal & Business

11%

Less common in

Academia

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "it is difficult to find" is a commonly used phrase that expresses the challenge of locating or discovering something. As confirmed by Ludwig AI, it's grammatically correct and applicable across various contexts, particularly in science and news media. While considered generally neutral in register, be mindful of context when choosing more formal alternatives. Use this phrase to effectively communicate the presence of obstacles in finding something specific.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

it's hard to find

Replaces "difficult" with "hard", a more informal synonym, maintaining the same meaning.

it is challenging to locate

Substitutes "difficult" with "challenging" and "find" with "locate", offering a slightly more formal tone.

it's not easy to discover

Expresses the difficulty using a negative construction ("not easy") and replaces "find" with "discover".

locating is a challenge

Rephrases the statement to emphasize the act of locating as the challenge.

it is tough to uncover

Replaces "difficult" with "tough" and "find" with "uncover", indicating a more strenuous effort.

it's problematic to identify

Uses "problematic" instead of "difficult" and "identify" in place of "find", suggesting potential issues or complications.

ascertaining is not straightforward

Replaces the whole phrase with a more formal and complex construction expressing the same difficulty.

pinpointing is arduous

Uses "pinpointing" and "arduous" to convey a high degree of difficulty in finding something precise.

it's a struggle to unearth

Emphasizes the effort required by using "struggle" and replaces "find" with "unearth", implying uncovering something hidden.

detecting poses difficulties

Rephrases to highlight the act of detecting and the difficulties it presents.

FAQs

What does "it is difficult to find" mean?

The phrase "it is difficult to find" means that something is not easy to locate, discover, or obtain. It implies that some effort or challenge is involved in the search or discovery process.

What can I say instead of "it is difficult to find"?

You can use alternatives like "it is challenging to locate", "it is hard to find", or "it is tough to uncover", depending on the specific context.

Is "it is difficult to find" formal or informal?

"It is difficult to find" is generally considered neutral in tone and can be used in both formal and informal contexts, although more formal alternatives like "ascertaining is not straightforward" may be preferred in highly formal writing.

How to use "it is difficult to find" in a sentence?

You can use "it is difficult to find" in a sentence like: "It is difficult to find a parking spot downtown during rush hour" or "It is difficult to find reliable information on that topic".