a devastating lack of

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "a devastating lack of" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to describe a significant deficiency or absence of something that has serious negative consequences. Example: "The report highlighted a devastating lack of resources in the education system, which has led to poor student outcomes."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

7 human-written examples

Women show a "devastating lack of awareness," she wrote, and "don't believe heart disease can really affect them".

The New York Times - Health

Like many other countries, the United States has two terrible problems: a devastating lack of jobs right now and an unsustainable budget deficit over the longer run.

The New York Times

His arguments in favour of CAM [complementary and alternative medicine] and in particular homeopathy, show a devastating lack of knowledge and understanding; they are ill-informed, invalid and embarrassingly naive – but at the same time they are remarkably persistent".

The Guardian

This left them still with a devastating lack of water.

Huffington Post

Both wars were hampered by a devastating lack of situational understanding.

Los Angeles Times

The report cited a devastating lack of procedural safeguards as the main reason for the high number of false eyewitness identifications that repeatedly undermined justice.

Huffington Post

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

53 human-written examples

But a potentially devastating lack of consensus among the main political groups and their leaders still prevails.

The Economist

This isn't meant as a criticism but as an observation of a devastating lack in modern culture.

Vice

Yet what is demonstrated beyond question is the devastating lack of proper local oversight in the schools landscape following Michael Gove's education programme.

The Guardian - Opinion

How the drought has affected San Francisco's devastating lack of public restrooms.

Los Angeles Times

"The longer that this situation continues – the insecurity and instability and this devastating lack of electricity and water - the more the humanitarian situation will deteriorate".

Unicef

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "a devastating lack of", ensure the consequences of the lack are clear and directly linked to the statement. This strengthens the impact and provides context for the severity.

Common error

Avoid using "a devastating lack of" to describe minor inconveniences. This weakens its impact and credibility when addressing truly serious deficiencies. Reserve it for situations with severe, far-reaching consequences.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "a devastating lack of" functions as a noun phrase, typically acting as a subject or object in a sentence. It identifies a significant deficiency or absence. Ludwig confirms its grammatical correctness and usability.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

43%

Science

29%

Formal & Business

14%

Less common in

Academia

14%

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "a devastating lack of" is a grammatically correct and impactful way to express a severe deficiency with significant negative consequences. As Ludwig AI confirms, it's used to highlight critical shortcomings across various contexts, particularly in news, science, and formal business settings. While the phrase is acceptable, it’s important to use it judiciously, reserving it for situations where the lack truly has devastating effects to avoid weakening its impact. Consider using alternative phrases like "a critical absence of" or "a severe deficiency in" for slightly different nuances.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

a critical absence of

Replaces "devastating" with "critical" to emphasize the severity of the absence, focusing on its importance.

a severe deficiency in

Substitutes "lack" with "deficiency" to highlight the inadequacy and replaces "devastating" with "severe" to emphasize seriousness.

a profound shortage of

Uses "shortage" instead of "lack" to indicate scarcity, and "profound" for a deep or significant impact.

a dire scarcity of

Employs "scarcity" to stress the limited availability, with "dire" emphasizing the urgency and severity of the lack.

a glaring omission of

Replaces the concept with "omission", focusing on something being left out, and uses "glaring" to describe how obvious it is.

a marked absence of

Substitutes "lack" with "absence" and "devastating" with "marked", indicating a noticeable absence.

a crippling deficit in

Uses "deficit" to indicate a shortfall, with "crippling" emphasizing the disabling effect of the lack.

a catastrophic insufficiency of

Replaces "lack" with "insufficiency" and adds "catastrophic" to highlight the destructive potential of the lack.

a terrible dearth of

Uses "dearth" to express scarcity and "terrible" to underline the adverse effect of the scarcity.

a conspicuous want of

Replaces "lack" with the more formal "want" and uses "conspicuous" to indicate that the lack is easily noticeable.

FAQs

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

Use "a devastating lack of" to describe a severe deficiency that has significantly negative consequences. For example, "The country suffered "a devastating lack of" medical supplies during the epidemic".

What are some alternatives to "a devastating lack of"?

You can use alternatives such as "a critical absence of", "a severe deficiency in", or "a profound shortage of" depending on the specific context.

When is it appropriate to use "a devastating lack of"?

It is appropriate when highlighting a deficiency that leads to severe, far-reaching, and significantly negative outcomes. Ensure the gravity of the situation warrants such strong language.

What makes "a devastating lack of" different from a simple "lack of"?

The addition of "devastating" emphasizes the severity and consequences of the lack, indicating that it causes significant damage or harm, unlike a simple "lack of", which is more neutral and general.