a big lack of

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "a big lack of" is correct and usable in written English.
It is used to describe a significant shortage or absence of something. For example, "The recent economic crisis has resulted in a big lack of jobs in the area."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

12 human-written examples

"Traditionally," he said, "there was a big lack of understanding".

The New York Times

He went on: "There's a big lack of everything.

The New York Times

Right now, there is a big lack of rituals in everyday life".

The New Yorker

"There's a big lack of knowledge about the mind-set of extremists.

The New Yorker

Halifax MP Alice Mahon, a leftwinger retiring at the election, said: "There is a big lack of trust in the prime minister, particularly over Iraq.

The Guardian

"We want to emphasize that while 95percentt of Americans believe that arts are important to education, there is a big lack of arts education in the schools and in their lives," said Bob Lynch, president and chief executive at the organization, which is based in Washington.

The New York Times - Arts

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

47 human-written examples

"Argentina has a very big lack of infrastructure," he said.

Independent

Despite the fact that there are a number of mobile payment providers hitting the market, there is also still a very big lack of adoption.

TechCrunch

Small solutions can make a big difference: Lack of public toilets is often mentioned as a key barrier to social participation in consultations with older people.

The Guardian

Prof. Rick Hills of the University of Michigan Law School points to a bigger hurdle: a lack of constitutional grounding for theories that try to establish equal protection on the basis of conduct or behavior.

The New York Times - Arts

When you're hungry, it's really easy to grab some junk-carbohydrate; this may be a big cause of lack of health.

WikiHow

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "a big lack of", ensure the context clearly indicates what is missing and why it matters. For instance, instead of just stating "there is a big lack of something", specify the consequences of this lack.

Common error

Avoid using "a big lack of" in contexts where a more precise term would be more informative. For example, instead of saying "there's a big lack of communication", consider specifying the type of communication that's missing (e.g. "There's a lack of clear, consistent communication").

Linguistic Context

The phrase "a big lack of" functions as a noun phrase, acting as the subject or object of a sentence. As Ludwig AI confirms, it describes a significant deficiency or absence. For example, "There is a big lack of trust in the prime minister" from the provided examples.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

66%

Science

18%

Wiki

10%

Less common in

Formal & Business

4%

Encyclopedias

1%

Social Media

1%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "a big lack of" is a grammatically sound and usable expression that denotes a significant absence or deficiency. As Ludwig AI validates, it effectively conveys a shortage in various contexts. While not exceptionally frequent, it appears consistently across diverse sources, especially in News & Media. Although considered neutral in register, more formal alternatives exist for academic or business writing. When using this phrase, clarity is key: specify what is lacking and its importance. Common synonyms include "a significant deficit of", "a major shortage of", and "a considerable absence of".

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

a significant deficit of

Replaces "lack" with "deficit" and "big" with "significant", focusing on a shortage.

a considerable absence of

Substitutes "lack" with "absence" and "big" with "considerable", highlighting the non-existence of something.

a major shortage of

Replaces "lack" with "shortage" and "big" with "major", emphasizing insufficient quantity.

a pronounced deficiency in

Changes "lack" to "deficiency" and "big" to "pronounced", stressing inadequacy.

a notable paucity of

Replaces "lack" with "paucity" and "big" with "notable", indicating scarcity.

a severe want of

Substitutes "lack" with "want" and "big" with "severe", stressing a critical need.

a gaping void of

Replaces "lack" with "void" and "big" with "gaping", emphasizing a large emptiness.

a critical need for

Shifts the focus to the necessity of something that is missing.

a substantial insufficiency of

Uses "insufficiency" instead of "lack" and "substantial" instead of "big", focusing on inadequacy and quantity.

a striking dearth of

Replaces "lack" with "dearth" and "big" with "striking", highlighting a conspicuous scarcity.

FAQs

What does "a big lack of" mean?

The phrase "a big lack of" indicates a significant absence or deficiency of something. It suggests that something important is missing or insufficient.

How can I use "a big lack of" in a sentence?

You can use "a big lack of" to describe a shortage or absence of something. For example, "There is "a big lack of funding" for this project."

What are some alternatives to saying "a big lack of"?

Alternatives include phrases like "a significant deficit of", "a major shortage of", or "a considerable absence of".

Is "a big lack of" formal or informal?

The phrase "a big lack of" is generally considered neutral and can be used in both formal and informal contexts, although more formal alternatives might be preferred in academic or business writing.