less easy to understand

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "less easy to understand" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used when comparing the clarity or comprehensibility of two different subjects or concepts, indicating that one is more difficult to grasp than the other. Example: "The new policy is less easy to understand than the previous one, leading to confusion among employees."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Encyclopedias

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

14 human-written examples

Ramsay is less easy to understand, possibly because he is given less attention.

The New York Times - Books

Less easy to understand is his choice of the poet John Clare.

The Guardian - Books

It is easy to conclude that things are so bad the chief has to go; less easy to understand what needs to happen after.

The Economist

No less easy to understand, but on the face of it even less justifiably suppressed, are a number of other files due to have been released now.

The Guardian - Opinion

He found the south, especially the sophisticated Africans of Lagos and the southeast, less easy to understand than the northerners, and in 1918 he had to deal with a serious outbreak in the important city-state of Abeokuta.

Encyclopedia Britannica

The surprisingly wide appeal of the book is less easy to understand, although it must be based primarily on the comedy of incongruity, which itself depends on familiarity with the original.

The Guardian - Books

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

46 human-written examples

When instead millennials found themselves competing with a global market (in a recession, no less) it's easy to understand why some felt the need to self promote in order to catch even a glimpse at the bottom rung of the ladder.

The Guardian

That means although entrepreneurs have developed promising Pasadena companies such as digital advertising firm OpenX, business-to-business marketing platform SupplyFrame and online collaboration software firm Central Desktop, they're typically less exciting and easy to understand than, say, a new fashion app.

Los Angeles Times

These are all more or less straightforward and easy to understand.

WikiHow

The appeal of the shift of the COLA to a C-CPI-U to the spend-less-crowd is easy to understand.

Forbes

The fact that the lower hospital grade was associated with less anxiety symptoms was easy to understand.

BMC Psychiatry

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When comparing two subjects, use "less easy to understand" to subtly indicate that one presents a slightly greater challenge to comprehension than the other. Ensure that the comparison is clear and that the context provides enough information for the reader to understand what is being compared.

Common error

Avoid using double negatives or overly complex sentence structures when employing "less easy to understand". While grammatically correct, excessive negation can make your writing confusing. Instead of saying, "It's not less easy to understand", opt for a clearer phrasing like "It's more difficult to understand" or "It is harder to grasp".

Linguistic Context

The phrase "less easy to understand" functions as a comparative adjective phrase. It indicates that something is not as simple to comprehend as something else. As Ludwig AI confirms, the phrase is grammatically correct and usable.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

60%

Science

30%

Encyclopedias

10%

Less common in

Wiki

10%

Formal & Business

0%

Academia

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "less easy to understand" is a grammatically correct and usable comparative adjective phrase that indicates a relative degree of difficulty in comprehension. While Ludwig AI confirms its validity, it's essential to use it judiciously, ensuring clarity and avoiding overly complex phrasing. Alternatives like "more difficult to understand" or "harder to grasp" may sometimes offer a more direct and easily understood alternative. Its use is most common in News & Media contexts.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

more difficult to understand

Emphasizes the difficulty of understanding by directly comparing it to something else without using negation.

harder to grasp

Focuses on the mental effort required to comprehend, highlighting the challenge of understanding.

more challenging to comprehend

Highlights the difficulty in comprehension, suggesting a need for greater cognitive effort.

not as straightforward to understand

Indicates a lack of simplicity in the understanding process.

more obscure to understand

Implies that the information is hidden or not easily accessible to comprehension.

difficult to make sense of

Focuses on the ability to create meaning or coherence from something.

not readily understandable

Suggests that understanding does not come quickly or easily.

requires more effort to understand

Highlights the active engagement and exertion needed for comprehension.

less intuitive to understand

Indicates that the concept does not align with instinctive or immediate understanding.

presents comprehension challenges

Emphasizes the obstacles and difficulties encountered during the process of understanding.

FAQs

How can I use "less easy to understand" in a sentence?

Use "less easy to understand" when comparing two concepts where one is slightly more challenging to grasp than the other. For example, "The new policy is "less easy to understand" than the previous one, leading to confusion among employees."

What are some alternatives to saying "less easy to understand"?

You can use alternatives such as "more difficult to understand", "harder to grasp", or "more challenging to comprehend" to convey a similar meaning. The best choice depends on the specific context.

Is it correct to say "less easy to understand"?

Yes, it is grammatically correct, but it can sometimes sound awkward. Ensure the comparison is clear and consider whether a more direct phrasing like "more difficult to understand" would improve clarity.

What's the difference between "less easy to understand" and "not easy to understand"?

"Less easy to understand" implies a comparison, suggesting something is relatively more difficult than something else. "Not easy to understand" simply indicates that something is generally difficult, without making a direct comparison.