reasonably hard

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "reasonably hard" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to describe a task or challenge that is difficult but not excessively so, indicating a moderate level of difficulty. Example: "The exam was reasonably hard, requiring a good understanding of the material but not impossible to pass."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Encyclopedias

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

26 human-written examples

Members of the administration have worked reasonably hard to mitigate the inequality that their own rise has produced.

The New York Times

He hits a ball reasonably hard to Cano at second who steps on second to foce Machado, inning over.

The Guardian - Sport

Its function in maintaining the eye reasonably hard is seen by the collapse and wrinkling of the cornea when the fluid is allowed to escape.

Encyclopedia Britannica

They've worked reasonably hard to redistribute money from the rich people in the magnet areas to the poorer people in the flight areas.

The New York Times

I then offered them a choice: a reasonably hard smack or an hour in their bedroom (which also compromises "physical integrity").

The Guardian - Books

After breakfast, Bonne and I were amused by the jolly and pony-tailed Doug, who worked us reasonably hard with exercise bands in Doug's Body Shop.

The New York Times - Travel

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

34 human-written examples

Mr Evans locates it at "the reasonably hard-headed end of the western liberal spectrum".

The Economist

High Fidelity magazine also characterized the Who's album as a "reasonably hard-rock version" of the opera.

Wikipedia

You're able to shoulder a pretty hard job and commute, while staying healthy, mindful, and reasonably content.

TechCrunch

So a $100 deal that includes a reasonably sized hard drive (reasonable for the Xbox, I guess), a headset (you can never have too many) and three months of Live Gold membership actually seems like a pretty sweet deal.

TechCrunch

These precipitates included a magnetic phase, α-FeCo, which, after the optimal heat treatment conditions of 1 h at 500 °C, resulted in an alloy with reasonably good hard magnetic properties.

Intermetallics

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When describing effort, use "reasonably hard" to convey that the task requires significant but not excessive exertion. For instance, "They worked reasonably hard to meet the deadline."

Common error

Avoid using "reasonably hard" when the situation warrants a stronger descriptor like "extremely difficult" or a weaker one such as "slightly challenging". Be precise in your assessment of the level of effort or difficulty.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "reasonably hard" functions as an adverbial modifier describing the degree or intensity of an adjective (hard). It qualifies the adjective, indicating that something is not extremely difficult, but requires significant effort or focus. Ludwig AI confirms its grammatical correctness and usability.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

44%

Science

28%

Encyclopedias

8%

Less common in

Wiki

8%

Formal & Business

4%

Academia

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "reasonably hard" is a common and grammatically correct way to describe something that requires a noticeable amount of effort or focus without being overwhelmingly difficult. Ludwig AI confirms that it is a proper and usable expression. It appears frequently in news and media, science, and encyclopedic sources, suggesting a neutral register. When using the expression "reasonably hard", consider alternatives like "moderately difficult" or "fairly challenging" to add nuance. Ensure your choice of words aligns with the context and desired level of precision to accurately reflect the degree of difficulty or effort.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

moderately difficult

Replaces "hard" with a direct synonym for difficulty and "reasonably" with a similar adverb of degree.

fairly challenging

Substitutes "hard" with "challenging" and "reasonably" with "fairly", softening the intensity.

relatively tough

Uses "tough" as a synonym for "hard" and "relatively" to specify a moderate comparison.

somewhat strenuous

Emphasizes the effort required, using "strenuous" instead of "hard" and "somewhat" for a moderate degree.

quite demanding

Highlights the requirements and expectations, using "demanding" in place of "hard" and "quite" to indicate degree.

genuinely tricky

Replaces both adverbs, focusing on the genuine difficulty and level of trickiness.

manageably difficult

Highlights the capability to handle the difficulty, replacing "reasonably" with "manageably".

comfortably challenging

Indicates a level of difficulty that is manageable, using "challenging" and the adverb "comfortably".

acceptably arduous

Conveys that the task is acceptably difficult, using "arduous" as a replacement for hard.

passably firm

Focuses on physical hardness or firmness, replacing "reasonably" with "passably" to suggest an acceptable level.

FAQs

How can I use "reasonably hard" in a sentence?

You can use "reasonably hard" to describe something that requires a significant amount of effort but isn't excessively difficult. For example, "The puzzle was "reasonably hard", but I eventually solved it."

What are some alternatives to saying "reasonably hard"?

You can use alternatives like "moderately difficult", "fairly challenging", or "somewhat strenuous" depending on the context.

Is "reasonably hard" formal or informal?

The phrase "reasonably hard" is suitable for both formal and informal contexts. Its neutrality allows for broad application, but the context should guide whether a more precise or nuanced alternative is preferable.

What does "reasonably hard" mean?

The phrase "reasonably hard" signifies a moderate level of difficulty or effort. It implies that something requires noticeable exertion or focus, but is not overwhelmingly challenging or impossible.