practical difficulty

USAGE SUMMARY

'practical difficulty' is a correct and usable phrase in written English.
It is a term to describe the challenges or impediments that are faced when trying to implement a task. Example: Implementing this new system will likely cause us some practical difficulties in the short term.

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Encyclopedias

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

Although many useful cancellation measures have been introduced, most fail to make their way into research studies and clinical practice due to the practical difficulty of acquiring such parameters from traditional pen-and-paper measures.

Behavior Research Methods

That is not without practical difficulty, of course.

The Guardian

The practical difficulty of securing such investments will be equally familiar.

The Guardian

The Electoral Commission sees no practical difficulty in enabling prisoners to vote.

The Guardian - Opinion

"What protects you is the practical difficulty of doing something -- hijacking a plane or putting out anthrax".

The New York Times

We can and do experiment on humans, but with great practical difficulty, even in the rare occasions when ethical concerns permit such experiments.

The Guardian - Opinion

Maybe it is not so different from the practical difficulty presented in "Piano": the insurrectos must plan the revolution while living in the house of the Spanish masters.

The New York Times - Arts

The problem here is not the principle – higher-earning graduates should pay more, and indeed do in our current arrangements – but an important practical difficulty.

The Guardian - Opinion

To these two weaknesses one must add a third: the practical difficulty involved in the fact that most families cannot afford books.

Encyclopedia Britannica

To justify overruling Judge Bates, the appellate judges overestimated the practical difficulty of affording court access and underestimated American control in Bagram.

The New York Times

With this growth have come management challenges galore not least the practical difficulty of masterminding and monitoring productions around the world.

The Economist

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "practical difficulty", ensure the context clearly specifies what is creating the difficulty, thus avoiding ambiguity.

Common error

Avoid using "practical difficulty" without specifying the source or reason for the difficulty. Always clarify what makes the situation challenging in a real-world context.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "practical difficulty" functions as a noun phrase, identifying a specific type of challenge or problem that is related to real-world application or implementation. Ludwig examples showcase its use in various academic, news, and scientific contexts.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

Science

43%

News & Media

33%

Encyclopedias

7%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Social Media

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "practical difficulty" is a common and versatile expression used to describe challenges or problems encountered when implementing plans or strategies in real-world scenarios. As Ludwig AI confirms, the phrase is grammatically correct and widely used. It appears frequently across various domains including science, news, and encyclopedias. When using this phrase, it's important to specify the exact nature and cause of the difficulty to avoid ambiguity. Alternatives like "substantial difficulty" or "real difficulty" can be used to add emphasis or nuance, while avoiding vagueness is crucial for effective communication.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

practical trouble

Replaces "difficulty" with "trouble", suggesting a slightly more problematic situation.

real difficulty

Highlights the genuineness and tangibility of the difficulty.

substantial difficulty

Emphasizes the magnitude of the difficulty.

practical obstacle

Highlights the blocking nature of the difficulty.

concrete difficulty

Stresses the tangible and specific nature of the difficulty.

practical hurdle

Implies a challenge that must be overcome to progress.

practical dilemma

Suggests a situation involving a choice between unsatisfactory options.

practical predicament

Indicates a difficult or unpleasant situation.

operational difficulty

Specifically points to challenges in the execution or operation of something.

practical disadvantage

Focuses on how the difficulty creates an unfavorable condition.

FAQs

How can I use "practical difficulty" in a sentence?

You can use "practical difficulty" to describe challenges faced when implementing something. For example, "The project faced a "practical difficulty" due to budget constraints."

What are some alternatives to "practical difficulty"?

Alternatives include "real difficulty", "substantial difficulty", or "practical hurdle", depending on the specific context.

Is "practical difficulty" a formal phrase?

"Practical difficulty" is suitable for both formal and informal contexts. Its appropriateness depends more on the surrounding language than the phrase itself.

What makes "practical difficulty" different from a theoretical problem?

"Practical difficulty" refers to problems encountered when trying to implement something in the real world, while a theoretical problem exists primarily as a concept or idea.