no difficulty in principle

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "no difficulty in principle" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to indicate that, theoretically or fundamentally, there are no issues or obstacles with a particular idea or concept. Example: "In principle, there is no difficulty in principle with implementing the new policy, but we need to consider the practical implications."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Encyclopedias

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

3 human-written examples

Mr Cutler has no difficulty in principle with projections in which health spending as a share of the economy continues to grow to, say, 30%.

The Economist

Since there is no gap between minds and bodies, there is therefore no difficulty in principle in perceiving the physical world.

SEP

But there is no difficulty in principle with carrying out such investigations.

Biology and Philosophy

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

57 human-written examples

None of these changes presents any difficulties in principle; see the discussion in Ch. 17 of Griffiths (2002a) for additional details.

SEP

He has no difficulty in not bending on a principle, digging in his heels and not being afraid of the consequences".

The Guardian - Books

In other words, Thomson assumed that it was not a difficulty in principle, like the difficulty of determining rest in absolute space.

SEP

Descartes, however, pointed out that, although there was no difficulty in getting agreement to the first principles of geometry, "nothing in metaphysics causes more trouble than the making the perception of its primary notions clear and distinct"; the whole trouble with this discipline is that its students fail to see that they must start from what are in fact the basic truths.

Encyclopedia Britannica

It claims that 'whatever our personal philosophy, politics, religion, moral theory, or life stance, we will find no difficulty in committing ourselves to four prima facie moral principles' [ 13].

European Journal of Pediatrics

If the lawyers have managed to enshrine those principles in the EU treaties, they should have no difficulty in giving effect to whatever the political leaders may agree.

The Guardian - Opinion

Those who understand the principles underlying the setting of high-quality multiple-choice items have no difficulty in accepting that multiple-choice is capable of assessing high-order cognition [ 10, 13, 14].

BMC Medical Education

We had no difficulty in securing testimony".

The Guardian

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "no difficulty in principle" to clarify that a concept is sound in theory, even if practical challenges exist. This helps to separate fundamental issues from implementation concerns.

Common error

Avoid using "no difficulty in principle" as a way to dismiss potential real-world challenges. Acknowledge that practical hurdles may still exist, even if the underlying concept is sound.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "no difficulty in principle" functions as an qualifier, typically used to express the absence of fundamental issues or theoretical obstacles related to a concept or proposal. As shown in Ludwig, it indicates something is theoretically sound.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

Science

33%

News & Media

33%

Encyclopedias

33%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Wiki

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "no difficulty in principle" is used to express that something is theoretically sound or that there are no fundamental issues with a concept, even if practical challenges might arise. As verified by Ludwig AI, the phrase is grammatically correct and commonly found in scientific, news media and encyclopedia contexts. When writing, it's best used to assure that a proposal has a firm foundation while recognizing that implementation steps must be taken into account. Alternatives include phrases like "no fundamental problem" or "theoretically feasible". Overall, it's an useful expression for clear communication.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

no fundamental problem

Replaces "difficulty in principle" with a more direct assertion of the absence of a basic issue.

no theoretical obstacle

Substitutes "difficulty" and "principle" with "obstacle" and "theoretical", focusing on conceptual impediments.

no inherent issue

Emphasizes that the problem isn't naturally part of the concept or system.

theoretically feasible

Highlights the possibility and workability from a theoretical standpoint.

conceptually sound

Focuses on the well-founded nature of the concept without practical complications.

not problematic in theory

States the absence of issues when viewed abstractly or ideally.

no basic impediment

Uses "impediment" to indicate a fundamental barrier or obstruction.

achievable in theory

Indicates that something is possible based on theoretical considerations.

no principled objection

Highlights the absence of fundamental disagreement or disapproval.

fundamentally unproblematic

Combines "fundamentally" to reinforce the absence of basic issues.

FAQs

How can I use "no difficulty in principle" in a sentence?

You can use "no difficulty in principle" to indicate that there are no fundamental or theoretical problems with an idea or plan, even if there might be practical challenges. For example, "There's "no difficulty in principle" with the proposal, but the implementation might be tricky."

What's the difference between "no difficulty in principle" and "easy to implement"?

"No difficulty in principle" means that the basic idea is sound, while "easy to implement" means the idea can be put into practice without much trouble. An idea can have "no difficulty in principle" but still not be easy to implement because of practical obstacles.

What are some alternatives to "no difficulty in principle"?

Alternatives include phrases like "no fundamental problem", "theoretically feasible", or "conceptually sound", depending on the specific nuance you want to convey.

Is it correct to say "no difficulties in principle"?

While grammatically acceptable, "no difficulties in principle" is less common than ""no difficulty in principle"". The singular form tends to be preferred when discussing a general lack of fundamental problems.