surmount the difficulty

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "surmount the difficulty" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it when discussing overcoming challenges or obstacles in various contexts, such as personal struggles, academic challenges, or professional hurdles. Example: "Despite the numerous setbacks, the team was determined to surmount the difficulty and achieve their goals."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Wiki

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

60 human-written examples

Kalfus exaggerates this notion, making it the basis for a scientist's carefully developed project to communicate with the advanced race of Martians (which he bases on the belief that it would take a more evolved civilization to surmount the difficulties posed by the super-arid Martian climate).

The Guardian - Books

Writing in the Daily Telegraph, WA Darlington felt that Robeson was a "really memorable" Othello precisely because he was black: "By reason of his race Mr Robeson is able to surmount the difficulties which English actors generally find in the part".

The Guardian

Liszt commented: "I thought there were only two men able to surmount the difficulties ... there are three, and ... the youngest is perhaps the boldest and most brilliant".

Wikipedia

Our main objective in this paper it to present a novel metaheuristic which exploits cooperative parallelism in order to surmount the difficulties mentioned above.

BMC Systems Biology

As Ophelia, Shinobu Nakamura, one of Japan's young onnagata (female impersonators), triumphantly surmounts the difficulty.

The Guardian

The approach surmounted the difficulty of the large size difference between the chip and the ULK layers in computations.

Microelectronics Reliability

The centrepiece of that earlier collection was an essay in which Franzen lamented, analysed and ended up surmounting the difficulties of writing novels in an age when everyone had better (ie worse) things to do than read 'em.

The Guardian - Books

Either because the patient introduced them and they wished to respect the patient's language, because they lacked alternative terms or because they believed that using the terms with additional explanation surmounted the difficulties created by using a problem term.

BMC Musculoskeletal Disorders

The recent TMCs surmount this difficulty through the introduction of the third underlying process U as stated in the previous section.

EURASIP Journal on Advances in Signal Processing

Even asylum seekers who surmount the psychological difficulty of this limbo confront constant practical challenges, such as finding healthcare, a job, or a place to stay.

Vice

In order to surmount this difficulty, the toolbox integrates several metaheuristics (Egea et al., 2007), clustering methods (Csendes et al., 2008) and sequential hybrids (Balsa-Canto et al., 2005, 2008b), which combine different mechanisms of global exploration of the search space with the use of local methods to enhance computational efficiency.

Bioinformatics

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "surmount the difficulty" when you want to convey a sense of triumph and skill in overcoming a significant challenge. It often implies strategic effort and resilience.

Common error

While "surmount the difficulty" is correct, avoid exclusively using formal alternatives like "overcome" or "conquer" in every situation. Vary your vocabulary to keep your writing engaging and adapt to different contexts.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "surmount the difficulty" functions as a verbal phrase, typically used within a clause. It describes the action of successfully overcoming a challenging situation. Ludwig AI confirms its validity. Examples show it used in various contexts to highlight problem-solving and resilience.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

50%

Science

41%

Wiki

9%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Social Media

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "surmount the difficulty" is a grammatically correct phrase used to describe successfully overcoming a challenge. Ludwig AI confirms its usability. While not as common as alternatives like "overcome the difficulty", it conveys a sense of skillful triumph, lending itself to formal and neutral contexts like news reports and scientific writing. Remember to use it when you want to highlight resilience and strategic problem-solving, and avoid overusing formal synonyms to keep your writing dynamic.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

overcome the difficulty

A more general and widely used alternative.

surmount the obstacle

Replaces "difficulty" with a more concrete term, "obstacle", implying a tangible barrier.

tackle the difficulty

Implies a more direct and hands-on approach to dealing with the problem.

surmount this challenge

Refers to a specific, identified challenge being overcome.

rise above the difficulty

Suggests transcending the problem and achieving a higher level despite it.

conquer the difficulty

Suggests a more decisive and complete victory over the challenge.

surmount the challenges

Generalizes to multiple challenges rather than a single difficulty.

weather the difficulty

Emphasizes enduring and surviving through a challenging period.

counteract the difficulty

Focuses on taking action to neutralize or diminish the negative effects of the difficulty.

eliminate the difficulty

Indicates a complete removal or eradication of the problem.

FAQs

How can I use "surmount the difficulty" in a sentence?

You can use "surmount the difficulty" to describe how someone overcomes a challenge, such as: "The team worked tirelessly to "surmount the difficulty" and achieve their goals."

What are some alternatives to "surmount the difficulty"?

You can use alternatives like "overcome the difficulty", "tackle the difficulty", or "conquer the difficulty", depending on the context.

Is it better to say "surmount the difficulty" or "overcome the difficulty"?

Both "surmount the difficulty" and "overcome the difficulty" are correct, but "surmount" often implies a more strategic and skillful approach to overcoming a significant challenge.

What does it mean to "surmount the difficulty"?

To "surmount the difficulty" means to successfully overcome a challenge or obstacle, often through effort and determination. It suggests a proactive and skillful approach to problem-solving.