unfortunately hard

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "unfortunately hard" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to express regret or disappointment about the difficulty of a situation or task. Example: "The exam was unfortunately hard, and many students struggled to complete it on time."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

6 human-written examples

"The prices have recently risen a lot and it seems unfortunately hard to compete with buyers from emerging markets," he said.

The New York Times - Arts

"There comes a time when soft power or talking with evil will not work -- where, unfortunately, hard power is the only thing that works".

The New York Times

Also, normal things like having a girlfriend are unfortunately hard, unless I can find someone who can constantly travel with me, but that's unlikely".

The Guardian - Sport

It is unfortunately hard to comprehend or recognize the relative role of this factor on various groups and lines of descent.

Evolution: Education and Outreach

Unfortunately, hard work is rewarded less and less in Cameron's Britain, where, since 2010, real earnings have fallen for the longest period since recordkeeping began 50 years ago.

Vice

Unfortunately, hard data on police violence is hard to come by and not knowing the full extent of the problem makes it hard to adequately address it, argued Peter Bilbring, a senior staff attorney with the ACLU of Southern California.

Vice

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

52 human-written examples

Unfortunately, hard-line party members quickly repudiated him.

The New York Times

From a technical standpoint the paired Python/C++ or Lisp can sometimes be better choices, but recruitment for those skills is unfortunately harder.

Journal of Cheminformatics

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Vice

It's unfortunately harder and harder to find places that welcome skateboarders, given the unfair reputation skateboarding has in some towns.

WikiHow

Another, a cellist, was unfortunately very hard of hearing and was also hazy on the tuning of the strings.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "unfortunately hard" to express a situation that is not only difficult but also disappointing. It acknowledges both the challenge and the negative feelings associated with it.

Common error

Avoid starting multiple sentences or paragraphs with "unfortunately". While the phrase itself is correct, overuse can make your writing sound repetitive and monotonous. Vary your sentence structure to maintain reader engagement.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "unfortunately hard" functions as an adverb-adjective combination, modifying a noun or situation to describe its difficulty with an added layer of regret. As noted by Ludwig AI, the phrase is grammatically correct and appears in various contexts.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

40%

Science

35%

Wiki

10%

Less common in

Formal & Business

5%

Encyclopedias

0%

Social Media

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "unfortunately hard" is a grammatically correct and commonly used phrase to describe a situation that is both difficult and disappointing. According to Ludwig AI, its usage is acceptable and appears in various contexts, including news, science, and general writing. When using this phrase, be mindful of overuse and consider alternative ways to express the same sentiment to maintain variety in your writing. The phrase serves to convey not just the difficulty of something, but also the regret or disappointment associated with that difficulty.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

sadly difficult

Replaces "unfortunately" with "sadly", maintaining a similar tone of regret about the difficulty.

difficult, sadly

Inverts the order and replaces "unfortunately" with "sadly".

regrettably challenging

Substitutes both words for near synonyms to convey a similar meaning.

painfully difficult

Emphasizes the unpleasantness of the difficulty.

difficult, I'm afraid

Adds a conversational tone to express bad news.

challenging, I regret to say

Expresses difficulty with a formal tone and an explicit statement of regret.

hard, to my dismay

Emphasizes personal disappointment at the difficulty.

it's a tough break

Uses an idiomatic expression to indicate an unlucky and difficult situation.

unhappily complex

Replaces "hard" with "complex" to shift the focus to the complicated nature of the difficulty.

alas, quite arduous

Replaces the words with archaic alternatives to convey a similar meaning.

FAQs

How can I use "unfortunately hard" in a sentence?

You can use "unfortunately hard" to describe tasks or situations that are both difficult and regrettable. For example, "Learning a new language can be "surprisingly hard", and sometimes, "unfortunately hard"".

What are some alternatives to saying "unfortunately hard"?

Alternatives include "sadly difficult", "regrettably challenging", or "difficult, I'm afraid". The best choice depends on the specific context and the nuance you wish to convey.

Is it redundant to say "unfortunately hard"?

While "unfortunately" implies a negative aspect and "hard" indicates difficulty, the combination isn't necessarily redundant. "Unfortunately" emphasizes the speaker's disappointment or regret about the difficulty, adding an emotional layer to the statement. Saying "hard" is neutral, adding "unfortunately" is more expressive.

When is it appropriate to use "unfortunately hard" in writing?

It is appropriate to use "unfortunately hard" when you want to express that something is not only difficult but also undesirable or disappointing. This phrase works well in both formal and informal contexts where you want to convey a sense of regret about a challenging situation.