most difficult to quantify

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "most difficult to quantify" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it when discussing concepts, metrics, or phenomena that are challenging to measure or assess accurately. Example: "The emotional impact of the event was the most difficult to quantify, as it varied greatly among individuals."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Academia

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

6 human-written examples

The potential settlement figure for the Russian case, Schenck admitted, was "most difficult to quantify".

The New Yorker

Perhaps most difficult to quantify is that this kind of farming — more thoughtful and less reflexive — requires more walking of the fields, more observations, more applications of fertilizer and chemicals if, when and where they're needed, rather than on an all-inclusive schedule.

The New York Times

In the past, every regulatory review policy has called for a different balance of these two aspects; while society values are the most difficult to quantify, they are also the most important to people.

Duke University

Armacost: The two biggest strengths that Lucent has are the ones that are the most difficult to quantify: the relationships with its customers and the innovative research ability of Bell Labs.

Forbes

Environmental risks — from pollution, to extreme weather, to changing government regulations and more — are among the most difficult to quantify because they are so broad and diffuse, but they are also some of the most crucial to understand.

BBC

In many respects, this amount is the most difficult to quantify specifically for malaria as the GRZ supports national staff providing the majority of services and the facilities (hospitals, health centers, health posts, laboratories, etc).

American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

53 human-written examples

It is, most certainly, difficult to quantify many forms of advertising and marketing.

Huffington Post

Official statistics grossly underestimate the contribution of livestock since many important non-food outputs - most of which are difficult to quantify in monetary terms - are excluded.

Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations

Most fundamentally, it is very difficult to quantify the dominant end-product (N2) of denitrification given its high background concentration in the atmosphere.

Ecological Processes

Later childhood problems may be the most serious, although these are difficult to quantify.

BMC Women's Health

But the true death rate is difficult to quantify because most patients have other medical conditions and their deaths may be attributed to other causes.

The New York Times - Health

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "most difficult to quantify", ensure you acknowledge the limitations in measurement and consider focusing on qualitative assessments.

Common error

Avoid claiming something is absolutely impossible to quantify. Instead, acknowledge the challenges and potential alternative approaches.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "most difficult to quantify" functions as an adjectival phrase modifying a noun, describing something's measurability, its primary grammatical function is to attribute a characteristic to a subject.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

33%

Science

33%

Academia

17%

Less common in

Formal & Business

17%

Social Media

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "most difficult to quantify" is used to describe concepts, metrics, or phenomena that pose significant challenges to measure or assess accurately. As Ludwig AI confirms, this phrase is grammatically correct and usable in written English. It is commonly found in news, scientific, and academic contexts, indicating its applicability across various domains. When using this phrase, it is advisable to acknowledge the limitations in measurement and consider focusing on qualitative assessments. Remember that while something might be hard to measure, it doesn't mean it's impossible to assess using alternative approaches.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

hardest to measure precisely

Replaces "difficult to quantify" with "hardest to measure precisely", focusing on measurement challenges.

most challenging to assess

Uses "challenging to assess" instead of "difficult to quantify", emphasizing the evaluation aspect.

not easily measurable

Simplifies the phrase to indicate something cannot be easily measured.

difficult to put a number on

Emphasizes the impossibility of assigning a numerical value.

qualitative rather than quantitative

Contrasts the subject as qualitative, implying it's not suited for quantification.

defies precise calculation

Highlights that the thing resist any attempts of a precise calculation.

cannot be accurately determined

Focuses on the inability to determine something accurately.

virtually immeasurable

Indicates that it is almost impossible to measure something.

extremely hard to evaluate

Highlights the complexity of the evaluation process.

resistant to quantification

Highlights the difficulty in subjecting something to quantification.

FAQs

How can I use "most difficult to quantify" in a sentence?

Use "most difficult to quantify" when describing aspects or factors that are challenging to measure accurately. For example, "The emotional impact of the policy change was the "most difficult to quantify"".

What are some alternatives to "most difficult to quantify"?

You can use alternatives like "hardest to measure precisely", "most challenging to assess", or "not easily measurable depending on the context.

Is it better to use qualitative or quantitative data when something is "most difficult to quantify"?

When something is "most difficult to quantify", relying on qualitative data and descriptive analysis can provide valuable insights that numerical data might miss. However, try to include measurable factors if you want to add some numbers.

What makes something "most difficult to quantify"?

Factors that make something "most difficult to quantify" often include subjectivity, intangible qualities, variability, and the absence of standardized measurement methods. For example, societal values may be "most difficult to quantify" because they depend on different point of views.