steadily more difficult

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "steadily more difficult" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to describe a situation or task that is progressively becoming harder over time. Example: "As the semester progressed, the coursework became steadily more difficult, challenging even the most diligent students."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

10 human-written examples

But passage has become steadily more difficult.

The Economist

From that moment things grew steadily more difficult at Chabannes.

The New York Times

As in Cuba, it has grown steadily more difficult in Miami to untangle the thoughts of Elian's relatives from those of their advisers, lawyers and political hangers-on.

The New York Times - Magazine

"Chemicals margins were significantly lower than in the second quarter last year, with trading conditions, particularly in the U.S.A., having become steadily more difficult," Shell said.

The New York Times

It has become steadily more difficult for directors of Mr. Boorman's generation, and of his stubbornly independent temperament, to fund their fancies.

The New York Times

The Channel island, long seen as a tax haven for British investors, does not have a deposit-protection scheme".The tax authorities are trying to make it steadily more difficult to avoid tax," says Mr Whiting.

The Economist

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

48 human-written examples

But translating success on "Idol" to success on the pop charts steadily became more difficult, and Cowell's 2010 departure hastened the show's decline.

Los Angeles Times

These are diseases that, when not addressed, become steadily more serious and more difficult to treat.

Huffington Post

Dungeons steadily become larger and more difficult, and feature "Nightmare" boss characters that the player must defeat, taking different forms in each dungeon, and getting harder to defeat each time.

Wikipedia

Making the numbers add up is going to become incrementally more difficult as musicians steadily hike up their appearance fees, as a means of offsetting declining income from record sales.

The Guardian - Music

As information on cnidarian- Symbiodinium symbioses is steadily increasing and expanding its documented geographic extent, it becomes more difficult to compare new with existing Symbiodinium data.

BMC Ecology

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Consider replacing it with alternatives like "increasingly challenging" or "progressively harder" to add nuance or specificity to your writing.

Common error

Avoid using "steadily more difficult" in contexts where the increase in difficulty is abrupt or insignificant. Opt for simpler alternatives like "more difficult" or "harder" when the gradual nature of the change isn't essential.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "steadily more difficult" functions as an adverbial modifier intensifying the comparative adjective "more difficult". Ludwig AI confirms its grammatical correctness and usability. It describes a progressive increase in difficulty over time.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

60%

Science

30%

Encyclopedias

10%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Wiki

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "steadily more difficult" is a grammatically sound and useful expression to describe a gradual increase in difficulty. Ludwig AI confirms its validity. It is most commonly found in news and media, and scientific writing, serving to communicate a progressive escalation in challenge. While not exceptionally common, it is a valuable tool for conveying a sense of ongoing progression. For alternative expressions, consider "increasingly challenging" or "progressively harder" to add nuance. When using "steadily more difficult", be mindful of overusing it in contexts where the difficulty change is not gradual or significant.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

increasingly challenging

Focuses on the challenge aspect, implying a stimulating difficulty that encourages growth.

progressively harder

Emphasizes the gradual progression towards increased hardness or effort.

gradually tougher

Highlights the increasing toughness required to overcome obstacles.

ever more complex

Shifts the focus to complexity rather than difficulty, suggesting increased intricacy.

continually more demanding

Stresses the increasing demands placed on resources or skills.

consistently more arduous

Implies a persistent and strenuous increase in difficulty.

bit by bit harder

Offers a more informal way to express a gradual increase in difficulty.

step by step tougher

Similar to "bit by bit harder" but emphasizes a sequential progression.

slowly but surely harder

Highlights the certainty of increasing difficulty over time.

becoming increasingly problematic

Focuses on the problems caused by increasing difficulty.

FAQs

How can I use "steadily more difficult" in a sentence?

You can use "steadily more difficult" to describe a situation that becomes progressively harder over time. For example, "As the project progressed, the tasks became "steadily more difficult", requiring more expertise".

What can I say instead of "steadily more difficult"?

You can use alternatives like "increasingly challenging", "progressively harder", or "gradually tougher", depending on the specific nuance you want to convey.

Is "steadily more difficult" grammatically correct?

Yes, "steadily more difficult" is grammatically correct. It combines an adverb ("steadily") with a comparative adjective phrase ("more difficult") to indicate a gradual increase in difficulty.

What's the difference between "steadily more difficult" and "more difficult"?

"Steadily more difficult" implies a gradual and continuous increase in difficulty, while "more difficult" simply indicates a higher level of difficulty without specifying the rate of change. Using "steadily more difficult" emphasizes the progressive nature of the challenge.