a dire concern

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "a dire concern" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to express a serious or urgent issue that requires attention or action. Example: "The rising rates of homelessness in our city have become a dire concern for local officials."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Academia

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

5 human-written examples

Even a hard-nosed realist should regard corruption as a dire concern, she maintains, because it is not merely a matter of the rule of law and democratic principles — it is "a matter of national security".

The New Yorker

"With the recent events of a young man killed by the police in New York City and with Trayvon Martin and with all the other African-American young men that have been killed by police officers … this is a dire concern to the NAACP, especially our local organization," Gaskin said.

The Guardian

Or if a soldier was shot in the arm and blood loss was a dire concern, the material could tighten and constrict blood flow around the wound to form a tourniquet.

Forbes

The humanitarian situation had become a dire concern of the highest priority.

Huffington Post

"With the recent events of a young man killed by the police in New York City and with Trayvon Martin and with all the other African-American young men that have been killed by police officers... this is a dire concern to the NAACP, especially our local organization," Gaskin said.

Huffington Post

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

55 human-written examples

This is a particularly dire concern for the 50 million impoverished rural households who rely on the payments from India's federal workfare program, based on the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act, or MGNREGA.

University of California, Berkeley

But Trump has made the issue a top and contentious priority, framing it as a dire security concern and using language far more volatile than his predecessors.

The Washington Post

I was a tad confused by the Jan . 23letter of dire concern from the Feminist Press regarding the use of your reporter's word "confessional" in the recent article about Flavia Alaya's book "Under the Rose: A Confession," about Ms. Alaya's 20-year relationship with a Roman Catholic priest.

The New York Times

He was clearly rattled by the atmospherics, but of more dire concern was the man across the net.

The New Yorker

Instead, when Shaquille O'Neal and Kobe Bryant make their annual trip to Madison Square Garden today -- and the Los Angeles Lakers seek the championship chemistry of last season -- West, the former team president, will be at home, watching with interest more than dire concern.

The New York Times - Sports

(Unrelated, but also of note from Nadal's memoir: "I find myself taking a lot of pees nervous pees just before a game, sometimes five or six in that final hour"). He was clearly rattled by the atmospherics, but of more dire concern was the man across the net.

The New Yorker

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use the phrase "a dire concern" to highlight issues that pose significant risks and demand immediate attention. This phrase effectively conveys the severity and urgency of a situation, prompting swift action and resource allocation.

Common error

Avoid using "a dire concern" for issues that are merely inconvenient or slightly problematic. Overusing the phrase can dilute its impact and reduce its effectiveness when describing truly critical situations.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "a dire concern" functions as a noun phrase, emphasizing the seriousness of a problem or issue. As evidenced by Ludwig AI, it highlights a situation requiring immediate attention. It typically modifies another noun to express the high level of worry and risk involved.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

60%

Academia

20%

Science

20%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "a dire concern" is a phrase used to emphasize the severity and urgency of a particular issue. Ludwig AI confirms its grammatical correctness and provides examples from authoritative sources across news, academia, and science. While not the most frequent expression, it is a powerful way to convey the need for immediate attention. Alternatives include "a grave worry" and "a pressing issue". When using this phrase, it's best to reserve it for situations of genuine risk to maintain its impact. Avoiding overuse in milder contexts will ensure that when you do use "a dire concern", it effectively conveys the seriousness of the situation.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

a grave worry

Replaces "dire concern" with "grave worry", altering the intensity while retaining the core meaning of serious concern.

a serious apprehension

Substitutes "dire" with "serious" and "concern" with "apprehension", modifying the tone to sound slightly more formal.

a pressing issue

Replaces "dire concern" with "pressing issue", shifting the focus to the urgency and importance of the matter.

an urgent problem

Uses "urgent problem" instead of "dire concern", emphasizing the need for immediate attention.

a critical matter

Replaces "dire concern" with "critical matter", highlighting the importance and potential consequences.

a significant worry

Uses "significant worry" instead of "dire concern", reducing the intensity of the concern while maintaining its importance.

a major source of anxiety

Rephrases "dire concern" as "major source of anxiety", focusing on the emotional impact of the issue.

a cause for alarm

Replaces "dire concern" with "cause for alarm", indicating a situation that should trigger alertness and action.

a matter of great urgency

Replaces "dire concern" with "matter of great urgency", stressing the need for swift action.

a top priority

Substitutes "dire concern" with "top priority", emphasizing the importance and need for immediate attention to the issue.

FAQs

What does "a dire concern" mean?

The phrase "a dire concern" refers to something that causes serious worry or alarm due to its potential for negative consequences. It suggests a situation that requires urgent attention and action.

How can I use "a dire concern" in a sentence?

You can use "a dire concern" to emphasize the severity of a problem. For example: "The lack of clean water in the region is "a dire concern" for public health officials."

What can I say instead of "a dire concern"?

You can use alternatives like "a grave worry", "a serious apprehension", or "a pressing issue" depending on the context.

Is it better to say "dire concern" or "serious concern"?

"Dire concern" emphasizes the extreme seriousness and urgency of the situation, while "serious concern" simply indicates that the issue is important and warrants attention. Choose "dire concern" when the situation poses significant risks and demands immediate action.