too difficult to understand

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "too difficult to understand" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it when describing something that is overly complex or challenging to comprehend. Example: "The instructions were too difficult to understand, leading to confusion among the team members."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

29 human-written examples

In her diary she wrote, "When my brother ... was a young boy learning the Chinese classics, I was in the habit of listening to him and I became unusually proficient at understanding those passages that he found too difficult to understand and memorize.

Wikipedia

It is just too difficult to understand and try to work out".

The New York Times

"Ten years from now, this is going to be the norm," she says.In the current labour market, it isn't too difficult to understand why a worker would do this.

The Economist

"They don't read works by professional writers because their sentences are too difficult to understand, their expressions are intentionally wordy, and the stories are not familiar to them," she said.

The New York Times

Even shares of General Electric, one of the nation's bluest chips, fell 4.4percentt, a reflection of investors' fears that the financial statements of companies in multiple lines of business may be too difficult to understand.

The New York Times

"I reported back to my then-bosses that, although I thought he was an absolutely brilliant political journalist and the nicest person in the world, I didn't think we should employ him as the on-air political editor because people would simply find it too difficult to understand his accent," he said on Friday.

The Guardian

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

31 human-written examples

However, the outcome of visualization was too difficult to interpret and understand.

BMC Medical Informatics and Decision Making

He's too difficult to read.

The New Yorker

Alas, their advice is "too abstract and difficult to understand", scoffs one physicist.

The Economist

However, one rule specified in SWRL containing a high number of characteristics will make the rule too long and difficult to understand and manage, even with a simple formula [47].

Journal of the Brazilian Computer Society

We decided to recommend that this step should be completed by the developer of the original measure, acknowledging the fact that TA might detect, in the original measure, wordings or syntax that may be too complicated or difficult to understand by lay people and, therefore, might lead to translatability issues.

Journal of Patient-Reported Outcomes

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using the phrase "too difficult to understand", consider your audience. If possible, simplify the concept or provide additional context to aid comprehension. For example, break down complex ideas into smaller parts or use analogies to explain abstract concepts.

Common error

Avoid using the passive voice when you can make the subject of the sentence the actor doing the understanding. Instead of saying, "The concept was too difficult to understand", consider "I found the concept too difficult to understand" or "Readers find this concept "too difficult to understand"".

Linguistic Context

The phrase "too difficult to understand" functions as an adjective phrase, modifying a noun or pronoun to describe its complexity or obscurity. It expresses a subjective assessment of the level of difficulty one encounters when trying to comprehend something. As Ludwig AI points out, this is a common construction in English.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

37%

Science

32%

Wiki

9%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "too difficult to understand" is a grammatically sound and frequently used phrase for expressing a significant challenge in comprehension. Ludwig AI underlines that the expression is versatile, fitting diverse contexts from news and science to everyday discussions. Its neutrality makes it adaptable for both formal and informal settings. When using this expression, simplify complex ideas and keep your audience in mind to avoid confusion. Consider alternative phrases like "hard to comprehend" or "challenging to grasp" to provide your reader with more options.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

hard to comprehend

Replaces "difficult to understand" with a more concise synonym, maintaining the same meaning.

challenging to grasp

Uses "challenging" instead of "difficult", offering a slightly softer tone.

beyond my comprehension

Indicates a complete inability to understand, adding a personal element.

incomprehensible to me

Similar to "beyond my comprehension", but with a more formal tone.

tough to make sense of

Emphasizes the effort required to understand something.

over my head

An idiomatic expression meaning something is too complex to understand.

not easily understood

Focuses on the lack of ease in understanding.

obscure and confusing

Highlights the lack of clarity and resulting confusion.

impenetrable to reason

Indicates that something cannot be understood through logical thinking.

a mystery to me

Implies a complete lack of understanding, often with a sense of intrigue.

FAQs

What are some alternative ways to say "too difficult to understand"?

You can use alternatives like "hard to comprehend", "challenging to grasp", or "beyond my comprehension", depending on the context.

Is it grammatically correct to say "too difficult to understand"?

Yes, the phrase "too difficult to understand" is grammatically correct and widely used in English. Ludwig AI confirms its proper usage across numerous sources.

How can I use "too difficult to understand" in a sentence?

You can use it to describe anything that is overly complex or challenging to comprehend. For example: "The instructions were "too difficult to understand", leading to confusion" or "The financial statements were "too difficult to understand", even for experienced investors".

What's the difference between "difficult to understand" and "too difficult to understand"?

"Difficult to understand" simply means that something requires effort to comprehend. "Too difficult to understand" implies that something is so complex or unclear that it is nearly impossible to comprehend, exceeding a reasonable level of difficulty. The addition of "too" indicates a higher degree of complexity or obscurity.