a horrible lack of

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "a horrible lack of" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to emphasize a significant deficiency or absence of something, often in a negative context. Example: "The report highlighted a horrible lack of resources available for the underprivileged community."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

6 human-written examples

"In South Africa there is a horrible lack of imagination about the future.

The Guardian

There's a horrible lack of long-form journalism today, and we're hoping to step into that void and offer the kind of comprehensive long-form quizzes the industry so desperately needs right now.

The New Yorker

Eight bookings, two underemployed goalkeepers and a horrible lack of creativity were testament not only to the negativity of Tony Pulis's gameplan but the shortage of attacking guile that threatens to leave Sunderland sinking into the Championship.

The Guardian - Sport

Facing a blizzard of criticism — Gov. Dannel P. Malloy called his comments "repugnant" and said they represented "either a horrible lack of judgment or worse" — Mr. Maturo apologized, at first grudgingly and then with a long statement offering his "sincerest apologies" for what he called an "insensitive and off-collar comment".

The New York Times

The remaster was so inexcusably broken it shipped full of bugs, frame rate issues, and a horrible lack of atmospheric fog, the fucking heart of Silent Hill, due to porting from incomplete code that a lot of fans flat-out refused to support its release.

Vice

The remaster was so inexcusably broken –it shipped full of bugs, frame rate issues and a horrible lack of atmospheric fog, the fucking heart of Silent Hill, due to porting from incomplete code – that a lot of fans flat-out refused to support its release.

Vice

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

54 human-written examples

How it wasn't just Ares who had to be embarrassed — Ortega had to be embarrassed as well, because of his horrible lack of judgment.

The New Yorker

But even in the most thickly described on-court scenes, he manages to communicate something about the implacable logic of competition, its horrible lack of mercy.

The Guardian - Books

Here, too, McGahern (now at his fourth school in as many years) begins to understand the larger pressures bearing down on him: the dominance of the church, the power-play between priests and law-givers, the poverty of rural communities roundabout, the horrible lack of prospects and choices.

The Guardian - Books

He'd be standing in the circle, waiting for big Ernesto and the opposing oversized twelve-year-old center to fight it out for the jump ball, and he'd find himself yelling, "Irritation!" or "Horrible lack of judgment!," and the boy's hand would reach into the air a millisecond too late, by which time Ernesto would have slapped the ball halfway down the court with his big paw.

The New Yorker

There was constant bombardment and in February the last water purification plant in town was hit, though he is not clear if this was done by artillery or US air strikes: "The town is now in a horrible situation because of lack of water".

Independent

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using this phrase, ensure that the noun following "of" is specific and clearly defines what is missing, for example, "a horrible lack of funding".

Common error

While "a horrible lack of" is acceptable, it can sound too informal or emotive for some formal contexts. Consider using more neutral alternatives like "a significant deficiency in" or "a severe shortage of" for a more professional tone.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "a horrible lack of" functions as a qualifier emphasizing a deficiency. It typically precedes a noun, highlighting a severe absence or shortage of something. Examples from Ludwig illustrate its use in various contexts.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

80%

Wiki

10%

Science

10%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Social Media

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "a horrible lack of" is a phrase used to emphasize a significant and negative deficiency or absence. Ludwig's AI confirms its correctness and usability. While grammatically sound, it leans towards the informal side due to the adjective "horrible". It is frequently found in News & Media, suggesting a neutral register. Alternatives like "a severe shortage of" or "a significant deficiency of" may be more appropriate in formal writing. It's crucial to ensure the noun following "of" clearly defines what is missing to maximize clarity.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

a terrible deficiency of

This alternative uses "terrible" instead of "horrible" and "deficiency" instead of "lack" to express a severe shortage.

a dreadful absence of

This alternative replaces "horrible" with "dreadful" and "lack" with "absence", maintaining the negative connotation.

a severe shortage of

This alternative uses "severe shortage" to indicate a critical lack of something.

a glaring omission of

This phrase uses "glaring omission" to highlight a noticeable and problematic absence.

a critical dearth of

This alternative uses the word "dearth" to emphasize a scarcity or lack of something essential.

a marked inadequacy of

This phrase replaces "lack" with "inadequacy" to express that something is insufficient or not good enough.

a significant deficit of

This alternative uses "deficit" to denote a shortage, often in a quantitative sense.

a conspicuous want of

This phrase uses "want" to express a lack or absence of something, often in a formal or literary context.

a profound scarcity of

This alternative uses "scarcity" to indicate that something is rare or in short supply.

a distressing paucity of

This alternative uses "paucity" to indicate a smallness of quantity which is inadequate.

FAQs

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

You can use "a horrible lack of" to emphasize a severe deficiency. For example, "The project failed due to "a horrible lack of planning"".

What can I say instead of "a horrible lack of"?

You can use alternatives like "a severe shortage of", "a significant deficiency in", or "a critical dearth of" depending on the context.

Is "a horrible lack of" formal or informal?

"A horrible lack of" tends to be more informal due to the strong emotional connotation of "horrible". In formal contexts, consider using "a significant deficiency of" or "a serious lack of".

What's the difference between "a horrible lack of" and "a lack of"?

"A horrible lack of" emphasizes the severity and negative impact of the absence, while "a lack of" simply indicates that something is missing without necessarily implying a strong negative consequence. The addition of the adjective "horrible" enhances the intensity.