be completely devoid of

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "be completely devoid of" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to describe something that lacks a particular quality or element entirely. Example: "The report was found to be completely devoid of any substantial evidence to support the claims made."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

19 human-written examples

The downside was that the costumes, designed by Elizabeth Waller, had to be completely devoid of blue.

The Guardian - TV & Radio

The winners seem so thrilled and humble and lovely, and you would have to be completely devoid of feeling not to share in their happiness.

The Guardian - Opinion

The book appeared to be completely devoid of any Serbian names.

Vice

It's going to keep rearing its ugly head in the relationship with Peter unless she can be completely devoid of feelings from the past and anxieties that he would cheat on her again.

Huffington Post

While it might be completely devoid of political nuance, passion and technical ability, it more than makes up for it in brevity and what I imagine is a pretty serious flouting of musical copyright law.

Vice

While it might be completely devoid of political nuance, passion, and technical ability, it more than makes up for it in brevity and what I imagine is a pretty serious flouting of musical copyright law.

Vice

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

40 human-written examples

He is completely devoid of conscience.

The New York Times

Another's game "is completely devoid of all rational thought".

The New York Times - Books

One senior Tory said: "Michael's great strength is that he is completely devoid of ideology.

The Guardian

The presentation was thoroughly unexpected in that it was completely devoid of, well, flashiness.

The Guardian - Opinion

Twice during the sequence, Kubrick cuts back to Wynn, whose face is completely devoid of expression.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "be completely devoid of" to emphasize a total absence, especially when a strong or surprising lack is present. For example, "The politician's speech was completely devoid of empathy." Use it to highlight a significant deficiency.

Common error

Avoid using "be completely devoid of" when a simpler term like "lacks" or "doesn't have" would suffice. Overusing the phrase can make your writing sound unnecessarily formal or stilted. For example, instead of "The room was completely devoid of furniture", consider "The room lacked furniture".

Linguistic Context

The phrase "be completely devoid of" functions as a predicate adjective. It describes a noun or pronoun by indicating a total absence of a particular quality or characteristic. As Ludwig AI confirms, the phrase is correct and usable in written English.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

33%

Science

45%

Wiki

11%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Encyclopedias

2%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "be completely devoid of" is a grammatically sound and frequently used expression to emphasize the total absence of something. Ludwig AI confirms its validity. It is most commonly found in scientific and news contexts. While alternatives like "lack" or "be without" exist, "be completely devoid of" offers a stronger, more emphatic way to convey a deficiency. When employing this phrase, ensure it adds value by highlighting a significant absence, and avoid overuse in simpler contexts to maintain a natural writing style.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

be fully devoid of

Synonymous, with "fully" emphasizing the completeness of the absence.

be entirely devoid of

Similar to "fully devoid of", "entirely" stresses the exhaustive nature of the absence.

be utterly devoid of

"Utterly" intensifies the sense of complete absence, adding a stronger emphasis.

be completely lacking in

Uses "lacking in" as an alternative to "devoid of", maintaining the same meaning.

be entirely without

Employs "without" to convey the absence, offering a more straightforward phrasing.

be totally absent of

"Absent of" is used instead of "devoid of", providing a slightly different construction.

be completely free from

Shifts the focus to being "free from" something, implying the absence is a positive quality.

be completely empty of

Uses "empty of" to suggest a void or lack of content.

contain nothing of

Describes the absence from the perspective of containment.

exhibit no trace of

Indicates a complete absence of evidence or indication of something.

FAQs

How can I use "be completely devoid of" in a sentence?

Use "be completely devoid of" to emphasize the total absence of something. For example, "The argument was "completely devoid of" logic" or "The landscape seemed "completely devoid of" life".

What are some alternatives to "be completely devoid of"?

You can use alternatives like "lack", "be without", "be absent of", or "contain nothing of" depending on the context to convey a similar meaning. For example, instead of "The dish was "completely devoid of" flavor", you could say "The dish lacked flavor".

Is it more formal to say "be completely devoid of" or "lack"?

"Be completely devoid of" is generally considered more formal than "lack". Using "lack" is often more direct and suitable for everyday conversation, while "be completely devoid of" is appropriate for more formal or emphatic situations.

What's the difference between "be completely devoid of" and "be partially devoid of"?

"Be completely devoid of" means that something is entirely missing, while "be partially devoid of" implies that something is present but significantly reduced. For instance, "The article was "completely devoid of" evidence" suggests no evidence exists, whereas "The article was partially devoid of evidence" indicates that there's little evidence to support it.