a more significant problem

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "a more significant problem" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used when comparing the importance or severity of a problem to another issue, indicating that it is greater in magnitude or impact. Example: "While the budget cuts are concerning, the lack of resources for mental health services is a more significant problem that needs immediate attention."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Wiki

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

26 human-written examples

A more significant problem has to do with scale.

The New Yorker

By the 1990s, low levels of business spending became a more significant problem".

The Guardian

"To everyone's surprise, the M.R.I. showed he had a more significant problem, but not a complete tear," Cashman said.

The New York Times - Sports

That said, the paras are increasing their presence in the south, and are becoming a more significant problem there".

The New York Times

Devaluing OSINT has become a more significant problem as Russia and China use social media as an arena to wage disinformation operations.

The New Yorker

His statements have described those weapons program as a more significant problem than did a declassified American intelligence assessment that covered the first six months of 2002.

The New York Times

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

31 human-written examples

Typically, the problem your customer identifies will be an actual problem, but it may also be a symptom of a larger, more significant problem.

WikiHow

A far more significant problem is the government's promise to set up a special court to charge him for treason over his decision to suspend the constitution in 2007.

The Guardian

"If we were to go to Iraq, we'd have a much more significant problem getting in and gaining air superiority than we did in Afghanistan".

The New York Times

Cap and trade is another major approach — although CO2 emissions are a far more significant problem for the world than those which cause acid rain, and any genuine solution will have to be global.

The New Yorker

Improving situational awareness by correlating security events or alert data across heterogeneous sources where each can have Big Data challenges is a much more significant problem than performing Intrusion Detection independently on each homogeneous Big Data source, and this is the Big Heterogeneous Data challenge for Intrusion Detection.

Journal of Big Data

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "a more significant problem" when you want to emphasize that one issue is more important or impactful than another. It signals a need for prioritized attention or resources.

Common error

Avoid using "a more significant problem" when a simple comparison would suffice. If the difference in significance is obvious, a direct statement might be clearer. For instance, instead of saying "rising costs are a more significant problem than minor delays", you could say "rising costs are the main problem."

Linguistic Context

The phrase "a more significant problem" functions as a noun phrase acting as a subject complement or object in a sentence. Ludwig AI data confirms its use in highlighting the relative importance or severity of an issue compared to others. It serves to emphasize the magnitude or impact of a particular problem.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

40%

Science

40%

Wiki

10%

Less common in

Formal & Business

10%

Science

0%

News & Media

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "a more significant problem" is a grammatically correct and commonly used expression to highlight the relative importance of an issue. As Ludwig AI confirms, it effectively emphasizes that one problem is greater or more impactful than others. It is primarily found in News & Media and Scientific contexts, with a neutral register suitable for diverse audiences. When using this phrase, ensure a clear comparison is being made, and consider alternatives like "a greater problem" or "a more pressing concern" for nuanced communication.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

a greater problem

Replaces "significant" with "greater", emphasizing the magnitude of the problem.

a more serious issue

Substitutes "problem" with "issue" and "significant" with "serious", highlighting the gravity of the situation.

a more pressing concern

Replaces "problem" with "concern" and "significant" with "pressing", focusing on the urgency of the matter.

a larger issue

Uses "larger" instead of "significant" to emphasize the scale or scope of the problem.

a more critical challenge

Replaces "problem" with "challenge" and "significant" with "critical", highlighting the importance of overcoming the obstacle.

a key problem

Replaces "more significant" with "key", indicating a central or fundamental issue.

a major concern

Uses "major" instead of "more significant" to convey a high level of importance or worry.

a more substantial difficulty

Substitutes "problem" with "difficulty" and "significant" with "substantial", emphasizing the weight or impact of the problem.

a foremost challenge

Replaces "more significant problem" with "foremost challenge" highlighting it is a top priority.

a primary obstacle

Replaces "more significant problem" with "primary obstacle" highlighting it is a top challenge.

FAQs

How can I use "a more significant problem" in a sentence?

You can use "a more significant problem" to highlight an issue that requires more attention than others. For example, "While funding is tight, the lack of skilled personnel is "a more significant problem" for project completion."

What are some alternatives to "a more significant problem"?

Alternatives include "a greater problem", "a more serious issue", or "a more pressing concern" depending on the specific context.

Is it always necessary to use "a more significant problem" instead of "a significant problem"?

No, use "a more significant problem" only when comparing two or more problems to emphasize that one is of greater importance. If there is no comparison, "a significant problem" is sufficient.

What's the difference between "a more significant problem" and "a serious problem"?

"A serious problem" indicates that an issue is severe or concerning. "A more significant problem" implies a comparison, suggesting that one problem is greater or more important than another. Therefore, "a more significant problem" can be a "a serious problem" that is also more important than the others.