source of difficulty

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "source of difficulty" is correct and can be used in written English.
It can be used to refer to a cause of difficulty or obstacle. For example, "The lack of available resources was a major source of difficulty for the project."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Academia

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

At the same time, resistance to change may be a new source of difficulty.

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

These have been a constant source of difficulty to local botanists.

Cornell University

The players credited the changing approaches as the source of difficulty for the Patriots.

The New York Times - Sports

The uncertainty and weakness of the relation between interest rates and private investment are another source of difficulty.

Britannica

One source of difficulty is the very high sensitivity of the querying algorithms to an expert's mistakes.

Journal of Mathematical Psychology

A great source of difficulty in life is that actions we believe to be novel are often repetitions of what has already happened.

The New Yorker

One source of difficulty arises from a basic fact of real estate economics: about half of home purchases are by people moving within a metropolitan area.

The New York Times

For the 30,000 Palestinians who live in the surrounding villages, lack of access to Highway 443 has been a constant source of difficulty.

The New York Times

More than one-third of all the problem calls stemmed from voter registration issues, by far the largest single source of difficulty, Mr. Goldman said.

The New York Times

I will argue instead that the source of difficulty in deep learning is a lack of understanding of generalization---namely understanding behavior on new and unseen data.

Columbia University

The presence of the volume element r dr dz in the weak formulation of the problem is shown to be a potential source of difficulty.

Journal of Computational Physics

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "source of difficulty", specify what exactly is causing the difficulty to provide context and clarity for the reader.

Common error

Avoid using "source of difficulty" as a vague placeholder. Always clarify the exact cause of the challenge or problem to maintain precision in your writing.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "source of difficulty" functions as a noun phrase identifying the origin or cause of a problem or challenge. Ludwig AI confirms its correctness and widespread use.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

Science

34%

News & Media

31%

Academia

22%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

3%

Formal & Business

3%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "source of difficulty" is a grammatically correct and frequently used expression for identifying the origin of a problem. According to Ludwig AI, it functions as a noun phrase and serves the communicative purpose of pinpointing the cause of a challenge. While versatile across various contexts, it is most commonly found in science, news, and academic writing. When using "source of difficulty", specificity is key to providing clear and informative writing. Alternatives include "cause of trouble", "reason for the problem", and "origin of the issue".

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

cause of trouble

Focuses on the problematic outcome rather than the inherent challenge.

reason for the problem

Highlights the rationale behind an existing issue.

origin of the issue

Emphasizes the starting point of a specific problem.

root of the challenge

Suggests a fundamental, underlying cause of a difficult task.

genesis of the problem

More formal and emphasizes the beginning or creation of an issue.

underlying factor

Identifies a less obvious, contributing element to a challenge.

primary obstacle

Focuses on a significant hurdle or impediment.

main impediment

Highlights a major hindrance to progress.

chief stumbling block

Emphasizes something that prevents forward movement or progress.

core challenge

Indicates a central and fundamental difficulty.

FAQs

How can I use "source of difficulty" in a sentence?

You can use "source of difficulty" to identify the origin of a problem. For example, "The unclear instructions were a major source of difficulty".

What are some alternatives to "source of difficulty"?

Alternatives include "cause of trouble", "reason for the problem", or "origin of the issue" depending on the specific context.

Is "source of difficulty" formal or informal?

"Source of difficulty" is suitable for both formal and informal contexts, though more formal alternatives like "genesis of the problem" may be preferred in academic or professional settings.

What's the difference between "source of difficulty" and "challenge"?

"Source of difficulty" refers to the origin or cause of a problem, while "challenge" describes the problem itself. A lack of resources might be a "source of difficulty", while completing the project with limited resources is the challenge.