almost completely lacking

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "almost completely lacking" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to describe something that is nearly absent or deficient in a particular quality or characteristic. Example: "The report was almost completely lacking in relevant data, making it difficult to draw any conclusions."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Academia

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

46 human-written examples

And the suppoting infrastructure was almost completely lacking.

University of California, Berkeley

Surprisingly, accurate estimates of these basic measures are almost completely lacking, particularly in low-income settings.

Harvard University

Spinach fettuccine ($11.75) was thick with vegetables, but almost completely lacking in flavor.

The New York Times

Schrader doesn't try to turn us on; this is a sex movie almost completely lacking in sensuality.

The New Yorker

Summer is in the next block, just around the corner, and summer is a season almost completely lacking in gravity.

The New York Times

It's disposable, fast, fun, and almost completely lacking in any redeeming features that might endear it to an older generation.

The Guardian - Music

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

13 human-written examples

Some accessions showed almost complete editing, while other accessions almost completely lacked editing at these sites.

AoB PLANTS

The basin part of the studied territory almost completely lacks eco-stabilising features that could be used as a basis for planning of a new landscape.

Applied Geography

The town that those millions inhabit almost completely lacks the basic infrastructure and rule of law that make big cities navigable.

The New York Times - Travel

The earliest evidence of life on the earth is not a fossil -- microbes rarely fossilize and when they do, they look like cracks or air bubbles -- but rather, deposits of carbon dating back 3.8 billion years that almost completely lack a heavier version of carbon.

The New York Times - Science

These texts, which raise conflicts but almost completely lack elements of the märchen, are often tragic love stories and other life stories imbued with Confucian and Buddhist values.

Johns Hopkins University

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "almost completely lacking", ensure that the context clarifies what is missing and why it's significant. This phrase is most effective when highlighting a critical deficiency.

Common error

Avoid using "almost completely lacking" when the item in question is merely scarce or reduced, not nearly absent. Using it loosely weakens the impact of the phrase.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "almost completely lacking" functions as an adjectival modifier, intensifying the degree to which something is absent or deficient. Ludwig examples demonstrate its use in various contexts to emphasize a significant lack.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

Science

36%

News & Media

34%

Academia

14%

Less common in

Wiki

6%

Encyclopedias

2%

Formal & Business

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "almost completely lacking" effectively conveys a significant deficiency or near-total absence of something. Ludwig AI confirms its grammatical correctness and widespread usage across diverse sources, including science, news media, and academia. While adaptable to both formal and informal contexts, it's essential to ensure the phrase accurately reflects the degree of absence to avoid overstatement. Semantically related alternatives include "nearly entirely devoid of" and "virtually absent of", offering writers a range of options to express this concept with precision. Using "almost completely lacking" correctly can strengthen the impact of your writing by clearly highlighting critical shortcomings.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

nearly entirely devoid of

This alternative emphasizes the absence to an almost total degree, using 'devoid' to highlight the emptiness.

practically devoid of

This phrase conveys the idea of being nearly empty or lacking, using 'practically' to soften the absolute statement.

virtually absent of

This alternative conveys near-total absence, using 'virtually' to indicate the approximation.

essentially absent from

This phrase suggests near-total absence, using "essentially" to convey the significance of the lack.

almost entirely without

This phrase focuses on the absence of something, using 'without' to clearly state the lack.

substantially missing

This focuses on what's absent, stressing the significance of the omission.

largely deficient in

This option highlights a significant deficiency, focusing on the inadequacy rather than complete absence.

mostly wanting in

This alternative uses 'wanting' to mean lacking, emphasizing the deficiency.

scarcely possessing any

This highlights how little is possessed, indicating scarcity rather than total absence.

markedly insufficient in

This expresses the inadequacy of something, emphasizing that it is noticeably not enough.

FAQs

How can I use "almost completely lacking" in a sentence?

Use "almost completely lacking" to describe something that has very little of a particular quality or component. For example: "The evidence was "almost completely lacking" in concrete details."

What are some alternatives to "almost completely lacking"?

You can use alternatives like "nearly devoid of", "virtually absent of", or "largely deficient in" depending on the context.

Is it better to say "almost completely lacking" or "completely lacking"?

"Almost completely lacking" implies a very small amount is present, whereas "completely lacking" implies nothing is present. Choose the phrase that accurately reflects the situation.

How does "almost completely lacking" differ from "partially lacking"?

"Almost completely lacking" signifies a severe deficiency, while "partially lacking" indicates a lesser degree of absence. The former suggests a near-total absence, and the latter a moderate one.