not easy to identify

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "not easy to identify" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it when describing something that is difficult to recognize or determine. Example: "The symptoms of the illness can be subtle and are often not easy to identify."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

But as the administration found, it is not easy to identify cuts.

The New York Times

The terrorists were not easy to identify, since most of them were homegrown.

The New Yorker

Moreover, it is not easy to identify the person carrying the bucket.

The New York Times

Mr. Puille, the sound historian in Berlin, said it was not easy to identify Bismarck's voice.

The New York Times - Science

Therefore, it is not easy to identify the system with traditional mathematical model.

Advances in Engineering Software

However, in practice, the origin, mechanism and effects of touristic representations are not easy to identify.

Tourism Management

If they have a plan for those situations, it is not easy to identify.

The New York Times - Sports

But it is not easy to identify contaminated fish before they are consumed.

The New York Times

FREEK VERMEULEN: By sheer definition, they're not easy to identify, because if they were, they would die out.

Harvard Business Review

It's not easy to identify a species from the remnants of DNA found in thoroughly processed soup.

The New York Times

Looking back at Jungr's musical history, I suggest, it's not easy to identify any kind of consistent path.

Independent

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "not easy to identify", ensure the context clearly indicates what is causing the difficulty in identification. For instance, specify the characteristics, conditions, or factors that make recognition challenging.

Common error

Avoid using "not easy to identify" without explaining why something is difficult to identify. Saying "the problem is not easy to identify" is less effective than specifying "the problem is not easy to identify due to conflicting data and ambiguous indicators".

Linguistic Context

The phrase "not easy to identify" functions as an adjectival phrase modifying a noun, describing the degree of difficulty in recognizing or determining something. Ludwig AI confirms the phrase's grammatical correctness and widespread use.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

Science

53%

News & Media

38%

Formal & Business

8%

Less common in

Wiki

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "not easy to identify" serves to communicate the difficulty in recognizing or determining something. Ludwig AI confirms its grammatical correctness and common usage across diverse contexts, especially in science and news media. While versatile, it's important to provide context on why something is difficult to identify for clarity. Alternatives like "difficult to discern" and "hard to pinpoint" offer similar meanings with slightly different nuances.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

difficult to discern

Emphasizes the challenge of distinguishing something clearly.

hard to pinpoint

Focuses on the difficulty of locating or specifying something precisely.

challenging to detect

Highlights the effort required to notice or discover something.

not readily apparent

Stresses that something isn't immediately obvious or noticeable.

tough to make out

Implies a struggle to perceive something due to poor clarity.

obscure to recognize

Indicates that something is vague and therefore difficult to identify.

elusive to determine

Suggests that something is hard to grasp or establish.

not straightforward to ascertain

Highlights the complexity involved in confirming something.

demanding to distinguish

Emphasizes the high level of effort needed to tell things apart.

problematic to diagnose

Highlights the challenges when making a diagnosis.

FAQs

How can I use "not easy to identify" in a sentence?

You can use "not easy to identify" to describe something that is difficult to recognize or determine. For example, "The early symptoms of the disease are "not easy to identify"."

What are some alternatives to saying "not easy to identify"?

Some alternatives include "difficult to discern", "hard to pinpoint", or "challenging to detect", depending on the specific context.

Is it correct to say "not easily identified" instead of "not easy to identify"?

Yes, "not easily identified" is also correct, but it emphasizes the action of identifying rather than the inherent difficulty. They are largely interchangeable, but the best choice depends on the specific nuance you want to convey. "Not easily identified" is more passive in tone.

What makes something "not easy to identify"?

Something might be "not easy to identify" due to various reasons, such as subtle characteristics, lack of clear indicators, similarity to other things, or insufficient information. For example, a rare bird species in a dense forest might be "not easy to identify".