this was intractable

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "this was intractable" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it to describe a situation or problem that is difficult or impossible to manage or solve. Example: "Despite numerous attempts to resolve the issue, it became clear that this was intractable and required a different approach."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

1 human-written examples

While we would have preferred collecting local seed of all species used in the experiment, this was intractable due to the plot size and overall size of the experiment (each reciprocal garden site was approximately the size of a football field).

Evolutionary Applications

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

59 human-written examples

This is intractable when the number of atomic observations becomes large.

Bioinformatics

"There were people who said the problem of corruption in this state was intractable, and that not only could nobody make a difference, but nobody cared," he said, speaking to his rapt audience without notes.

The New York Times

Because the computational complexity in this case is intractable, an alternative way to make this tractable is to first identify the modules and then find distinct modules.

BioMed Research International

The ultimate force behind this migration is intractable rural poverty in West Africa.

The New York Times

It reinforces the ominous sense that this conflict is intractable; and so to drop down into the Jerusalem Bird Observatory and encounter the natural world again, after five days of being overwhelmed by tourist and political Israel, was suddenly a blessed relief, not least to hear the Israeli warden, Alena Kacal, saying: "People leave their religious and political differences at the gate.

Independent

This unity is intractable.

SEP

As this problem is intractable, a novel approximation method is employed to solve it.

Brain Informatics

Most computational problems in this area are intractable but several tractable fragments have been identified.

Artificial Intelligence

While this problem is intractable in general, we identify several tractable classes of preferred repairs that are useful in practice.

Artificial Intelligence

However, this method is intractable in large-scale networks due to the high-complexity of the junction tree formation, and the high-dimensionality of the particles.

EURASIP Journal on Advances in Signal Processing

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "this was intractable", ensure that the context clearly establishes what "this" refers to. This avoids ambiguity and strengthens the sentence's clarity.

Common error

Avoid using "this was intractable" for minor inconveniences or easily solvable problems. The phrase carries a sense of significant difficulty, so reserve it for genuinely challenging situations.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "this was intractable" functions as a descriptive statement, characterizing a preceding subject (referenced by "this") as being unmanageable or impossible to resolve. Ludwig AI confirms that the phrase is grammatically correct.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

Science

75%

News & Media

22%

Formal & Business

0%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "this was intractable" is a grammatically sound way to express that something was unmanageable or impossible to resolve. While correct, it is relatively rare and typically used in neutral to formal contexts, particularly in scientific and news-related discussions. Ludwig AI indicates that the phrase is grammatically correct and usable. If a more common phrase is desired, consider alternatives such as "this proved unmanageable" or "this became insurmountable".

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

this proved unmanageable

Replaces "intractable" with a more common synonym and slightly alters the sentence flow.

this became insurmountable

Substitutes "intractable" with a word indicating the problem could not be overcome.

this presented an unsolvable problem

Emphasizes the problematic aspect and the lack of a solution.

this situation was beyond resolution

Focuses on the situation and its irreconcilability.

this defied any easy solution

Highlights the lack of a straightforward solution.

this resisted all attempts to fix it

Suggests active resistance to attempts at resolving the issue.

this was an impossible task

Frames it as a task that could not be accomplished.

this challenge was unyielding

Implies a stubborn resistance to change or resolution.

this proved to be a dead end

Uses a metaphorical expression to indicate lack of progress.

this concern was irremediable

Replaces "intractable" with a word meaning that it cannot be cured or put right.

FAQs

How can I use "this was intractable" in a sentence?

Use "this was intractable" to describe a problem, situation, or task that proved exceedingly difficult or impossible to manage or solve. For example, "Despite numerous attempts to resolve the issue, "this was intractable" and required a different approach."

What are some alternatives to "this was intractable"?

Alternatives include "this proved unmanageable", "this became insurmountable", or "this presented an unsolvable problem" depending on the nuance you want to convey.

Is it better to say "this was intractable" or "this is intractable"?

The choice depends on the timing of the situation you are describing. Use "this was intractable" for a past situation and "this is intractable" for a current one. For example, "The negotiation process failed because "this was intractable"", compared to "Finding a solution seems impossible; "this is intractable"".

What does it mean when something is described as "intractable"?

When something is described as "intractable", it means it is difficult to manage, control, or solve. It suggests a stubborn resistance to any attempts at resolution and the issue is hard to handle or overcome.