struggle to select

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "struggle to select" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used when describing difficulty in making a choice or decision among options. Example: "I often find myself in a situation where I struggle to select the best candidate for the job."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

3 human-written examples

However, the magnitude of apps available also presents a challenge for secondary science educators who struggle to select content-appropriate applications that support the development of science literacy and science content acquisition.

Computers & Education

The nearly month-long struggle to select a successor allowed the more ideologically driven members of the party to flex their collective muscle relative to moderates in the party.

Huffington Post

Many biologists who are experts in the research methods and norms of their discipline struggle to select appropriate research designs and methodologies when they want to study learning at their own institutions or in partnership with K 12 schools and teachers.

CBE Life Sciences Education

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

57 human-written examples

The Tories, who have struggled to select women in winnable seats, also did better: two of their 11 assembly members are women.

The Guardian

We struggled to select our favorites from an abundance of great responses, including many on the subject of the Stuyvesant High School cheating scandal.

The New York Times

Anyone who adores underdogs surely struggled to select a team to adore in this series: a team that finished 41 games out of first place last year or a team that was one of the two candidates to be contracted.

The New York Times - Sports

Yet at the same time, changes to A-levels, such as the removal of most January AS-level exams, mean some universities are struggling to select students from predictive grades alone and are ­introducing entrance exams and interviews.

The Guardian

The painting's conception proved slow and difficult for Géricault, and he struggled to select a single pictorially-effective moment to best capture the inherent drama of the event.

Wikipedia

Now, rebels will struggle to get selected for the new, larger, European constituencies.

The Economist

With more or less delicacy, the press linked his dramatic personal style (he had a weakness for purple shirts, cherished his friendships with princesses and owned a framed pair of Queen Victoria's stockings) to his unacknowledged homosexuality.St John-Stevas was an unusual man, who would struggle to be selected as a Tory now (for one thing, he was a committed pro-European).

The Economist

The 28-year-old striker has had a frustrating time at Old Trafford this season, struggling to convince Van Gaal to select him.

BBC

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "struggle to select", ensure the context clearly indicates the reasons for the difficulty, such as numerous options or complex criteria.

Common error

Avoid using "struggle to select" when a simpler phrase like "find it hard to choose" would suffice, especially in informal contexts. The phrase is best reserved for situations where the selection process is genuinely challenging or complex.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "struggle to select" functions as an infinitive phrase typically used as part of a verb phrase, expressing difficulty in performing the act of selecting. According to Ludwig AI, the phrase is correct and usable in written English.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

33%

Science

33%

Formal & Business

33%

Less common in

Wiki

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Social Media

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "struggle to select" accurately conveys difficulty in making a choice and is considered grammatically correct by Ludwig AI. While not exceedingly common, it's found in various contexts, ranging from news and media to science and formal business. When a situation involves numerous or complex choices, consider using this phrase, however, be careful about overuse in simpler everyday scenarios. For these cases, a more suitable phrase might be "find it hard to choose". Overall, the key to using "struggle to select" effectively lies in understanding the nature and complexity of the selection process being described.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

find it hard to choose

Emphasizes the difficulty in the act of choosing.

have difficulty selecting

Highlights the trouble encountered during selection.

have a hard time deciding

Similar to 'find it hard to choose', but slightly more conversational.

labor to pick

Implies a more strenuous effort in making the selection.

find it challenging to choose

Replaces 'hard' with 'challenging' to indicate difficulty.

wrestle with choice

Metaphorically suggests an internal conflict while choosing.

grapple with decision

Highlights a serious and effortful engagement with the decision.

endeavor to decide

Shows an attempt to make a choice with effort and purpose.

strain to appoint

Suggests applying significant effort to officially choose someone.

contend to nominate

Implies competition or debate during the selection process, often used in formal settings.

FAQs

What does "struggle to select" mean?

The phrase "struggle to select" means to have difficulty or find it hard to choose something or someone from a range of options. It implies that the selection process involves some effort or challenge.

What can I say instead of "struggle to select"?

You can use alternatives like "find it hard to choose", "have difficulty selecting", or "labor to pick" depending on the nuance you want to convey.

How formal is the phrase "struggle to select"?

"Struggle to select" is suitable for both neutral and somewhat formal contexts. For more casual situations, phrases like "having a hard time picking" may be more appropriate.

Is it always appropriate to use "struggle to select"?

While grammatically correct, "struggle to select" might sound overly dramatic in simple selection scenarios. Reserve it for situations where the choice is genuinely difficult due to numerous options, complex criteria, or conflicting preferences.