lack of substantial

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "lack of substantial" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to describe an absence of significant or considerable quantity, quality, or importance in a particular context. Example: "The report highlighted a lack of substantial evidence to support the claims made by the researchers."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

The lack of substantial roles for women is a familiar enough problem in Hollywood.

The New York Times

The lack of substantial toughness in these polymers limits their use in practical engineering applications.

Polymer

"We consider it to be an important venue despite the lack of substantial progress.

The New York Times

The impetus towards settlement is compounded by the lack of substantial case-law on what constitutes a MAC.

The New York Times

However, this lack of substantial progress may simply be testimony to the difficulty of strong AI, not to its impossibility.

Britannica

The first lady also raises questions about her own lack of a voting record and, indeed, her lack of substantial political experience independent of her husband.

The New York Times

However, the EU said it was concerned about the lack of substantial progress on the text for an agreement at Paris, which it warned still needed considerable work.

The Guardian

Numerous Government Accountability Office reports have warned of the challenges in meeting that goal, most notable a lack of substantial US government funding.

The Guardian

Despite all the media frenzy, many observers have noted that there appears to be a lack of substantial debate in this election about a variety of important issues.

The Washington Post

A lack of substantial sediment deposition over the last 20 to 40 years is evidence that catchment sediment yields have strongly declined.

Geomorphology

Naturally derived antioxidants could play significant roles in cancer therapy due to their multi-targeted actions and lack of substantial toxicity.

Journal of Photochemistry and Photobiology B: Biology

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "lack of substantial", ensure that the context clearly indicates what is missing and why its absence is significant. For example, "The project failed due to a "lack of substantial" funding."

Common error

Avoid using "lack of substantial" when a complete absence is meant. "Substantial" implies a significant amount, not necessarily the entire quantity. Use "lack of any" or "complete absence of" if nothing exists.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "lack of substantial" functions as a modifier, typically preceding a noun. It indicates a deficiency in the quantity, quality, or importance of the noun it modifies. As Ludwig AI confirms, this phrase is grammatically sound and frequently used.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

Science

42%

News & Media

41%

Formal & Business

17%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "lack of substantial" is a versatile phrase used to express a deficiency in quantity, quality, or importance. Ludwig AI confirms it's grammatically correct and commonly employed across diverse fields like science, news, and formal business. The phrase functions as a modifier and carries a neutral to formal tone. To avoid common errors, ensure that you're indicating a significant deficiency rather than a total absence. Alternatives like "absence of considerable" or "deficiency of significant" may offer nuanced replacements. This phrase is useful for objectively pointing out insufficiencies in arguments, funding, or results.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

absence of considerable

Replaces "lack" with "absence" and "substantial" with "considerable", focusing on a notable absence.

deficiency of considerable

Replaces "lack" with "deficiency" and keeps "considerable" for emphasis.

absence of meaningful

Substitutes "substantial" with "meaningful", emphasizing the absence of something important.

deficiency of significant

Uses "deficiency" instead of "lack" and "significant" instead of "substantial", highlighting a shortage.

scarcity of significant

Highlights the limited availability of something significant, using "scarcity".

shortage of important

Uses "shortage" to indicate a lack and "important" to highlight the significance of what's missing.

paucity of noteworthy

Employs "paucity" to emphasize scarcity and "noteworthy" for importance.

insufficient level of significant

Indicates that something isn't at the required or expected level of significance.

limited quantity of significant

Focuses on the limited amount of something significant that exists.

meager amount of considerable

Uses "meager amount" to denote a small quantity and "considerable" to describe what's lacking.

FAQs

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

You can use "lack of substantial" to describe the absence of a significant amount of something. For example, "The committee noted a "lack of substantial" progress in the negotiations."

What are some alternatives to "lack of substantial"?

Alternatives include "absence of considerable", "deficiency of significant", or "scarcity of significant", depending on the specific nuance you want to convey.

Is it better to say "lack of substantial evidence" or "lack of significant evidence"?

Both "lack of substantial evidence" and "lack of significant evidence" are correct and usable. The choice depends on the specific context. "Substantial" implies a considerable amount or degree, while "significant" emphasizes importance or consequence. Thus, "lack of substantial evidence" emphasizes the quantity of evidence, while "lack of significant evidence" emphasizes the impact or importance of the missing evidence.

When is it appropriate to use "lack of substantial" versus "complete lack of"?

"Lack of substantial" is appropriate when there is some amount of something, but not enough to be considered significant. "Complete lack of" indicates a total absence. For example, there may be a "lack of substantial" funding for a project, meaning some funding exists, but not enough. A "complete lack of" funding means no funding at all.