a serious dearth of

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "a serious dearth of" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to emphasize a significant lack or scarcity of something. Example: "There is a serious dearth of affordable housing in the city, making it difficult for low-income families to find suitable places to live."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

13 human-written examples

And if the snide negativity fails to make you feel terrible about yourself, there's another problem: a serious dearth of quality entertainment coverage aimed at women.

Independent

Another area where it's not worth cutting corners is with pastry – you could buy it ready-made, but unless you have the warmest hands on earth or a serious dearth of time, it's a waste of money.

The Guardian - Lifestyle

Even if they have serious limitations when applied to 'true' nanosized objects, methods initially developed for 'bigger' particles (usually for submicron particles) are usually applied to study 'pure' ENPs, but there is a serious dearth of applications in the case of 'real' matrices.

Comprehensive Sampling and Sample Preparation Analytical Techniques for Scientists

Unfortunately, despite a dramatic increase in the amount the US spends on public diplomacy programmes, to about $1.2bn a year, long-term investment in learning Russian during the cold war means today there is a serious dearth of Arabic speakers in the US administration.

The Guardian

If you've ever tried to park in our fair city, you know we have a serious dearth of spots.

TechCrunch

Startups in the industry, long-known for a serious dearth of innovation, have raked in nearly $3 billion in private capital this year.

TechCrunch

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

47 human-written examples

Literacy is a serious dearth in Pakistan.

Huffington Post

There is serious dearth of such data from India, in particular.

Asian Journal of Psychiatry

A dangerous dearth of respect in society?

The Guardian - Opinion

And our current answer suffers from a serious collective dearth of creativity.

Huffington Post

The merger of NZME and Fairfax Media, which was proposed in May, would not be healthy in a country that "already suffers from a dearth of serious content and analysis", the editors say in a submission to the commerce commission.

The Guardian

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "a serious dearth of" when you want to emphasize a significant lack or scarcity, especially when the absence has negative consequences. For example, "There is a serious dearth of funding for the arts in public schools."

Common error

While "a serious dearth of" is appropriate in formal contexts, avoid using it in casual conversation. Simpler phrases like "a significant lack of" or "a major shortage of" are more suitable for informal settings.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "a serious dearth of" functions as a noun phrase, acting as the subject or object of a sentence. It emphasizes the significant lack or scarcity of something. As Ludwig AI confirms, this phrase is suitable for written English.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

50%

Science

40%

Formal & Business

10%

Less common in

Academia

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "a serious dearth of" is a grammatically correct and usable phrase that indicates a significant lack or scarcity, as validated by Ludwig AI. It's most appropriately used in formal contexts, such as news reporting, scientific writing, and business communications. While the phrase is not particularly common, appearing in only a limited number of examples, it effectively emphasizes the gravity of a deficiency. Alternative phrases, such as "a significant lack of" or "a considerable shortage of", can be used in less formal settings. Therefore, use "a serious dearth of" when the situation warrants a formal and emphatic expression of scarcity.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

a significant lack of

Replaces "dearth" with a more common term, reducing formality.

a considerable shortage of

Emphasizes the insufficiency of something needed.

a substantial absence of

Highlights the complete non-existence of something.

a marked deficiency in

Uses a more formal and technical term for 'lack'.

a critical insufficiency of

Indicates that the lack is causing problems or is of high importance.

a severe scarcity of

Emphasizes the limited availability of something.

a grave inadequacy of

Highlights the seriousness of the lacking quantity or quality.

a pronounced deficit of

Similar to deficiency, but often used in more formal or technical contexts.

a worrying poverty of

Highlights concerns about the insufficiency of something.

a troubling inadequacy in

Expresses concern about the insufficient quality or quantity of something.

FAQs

How can I use "a serious dearth of" in a sentence?

Use "a serious dearth of" to emphasize a significant lack or scarcity of something. For example, "The study revealed "a serious dearth of" research on the long-term effects of the medication".

What's the difference between "a serious dearth of" and "a slight lack of"?

"A serious dearth of" indicates a significant and problematic scarcity, while "a slight lack of" suggests only a minor deficiency. The former implies a more critical situation.

What can I say instead of "a serious dearth of"?

You can use alternatives like "a significant lack of", "a considerable shortage of", or "a substantial absence of" depending on the context.

Is it correct to say "there is a serious dearth"?

Yes, it is grammatically correct. The full phrase is usually "there is "a serious dearth of" something", indicating that something is significantly lacking.