lacking romance

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "lacking romance" is correct and usable in written English. You can use it to describe a situation, relationship, or atmosphere that is devoid of romantic feelings or elements. For example: "The dinner was pleasant, but it felt lacking romance." Alternative expressions include "devoid of romance," "bereft of romance," and "absent of romance."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Wiki

Academia

Encyclopedias

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

1 human-written examples

Last year Marco Pierre White called Blumenthal's kitchen "a well-oiled production line, technically flawless" but lacking romance.

The Guardian - Lifestyle

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

59 human-written examples

Mrs Merton's romantic interlude Never let it be said that Paul Merton lacks romance.

Independent

Between's users presumably think the cynics lack romance in their souls.Revenue will come from advertising.

The Economist

Rummaging through frozen packages in an antiseptic, ultrawhite Picard store or in similar aisles at France's national supermarket chains may lack romance, but it's reliable.

The New York Times

While the dominance of the two principal clubs lacks romance, it does ensure that the members of the side are well-acquainted, even if Villa's switch from Valencia to Camp Nou was only completed recently.

The Guardian - Sport

Business settings may lack romance and car chases, but some of the best movies of all time have been about business.

Forbes

The seriousness of the situation meant that their first kiss lacked romance, but Alexander Baker, who recorded the rescue, told KTLA that Montgomery is grateful it was caught on camera.

HuffPost

Williams's performance — she and Turner walk away with the show — gives us what Stoppard's historical romance is lacking: romanticism.

The New Yorker

NewYorker8 finds the book "a tad too self-abnegating as well as utterly lacking in romance" ("certainly the sex was bad" — oh, for the little trollop), and wonders what Celine might have done with the material.

The New Yorker

Screwcaps, on the other hand, are seen as industrial, cheap and lacking the romance of the old "closure" but they have been hailed as the future because there is no danger they will spoil or "taint" the wine, a problem that is said to affect up to one in 10 corked bottles.

The Telegraph

By Amy Davidson Sorkin January 22 , 2014Reading through the indictment of Bob McDonnell, the former governor of Virginia, and his wife, Maureen, one gets the same feeling as when hearing about a particularly low-grade political sex scandal — the kind marked by petty desperation and lacking in romance.

The New Yorker

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Apply this phrase to describe settings or processes that are overly mechanical or industrial, contrasting them with human emotion.

Common error

When describing a person's general personality, prefer using the adjective "unromantic". Use "lacking romance" specifically for situations, events or objects where the romantic quality is an expected but missing ingredient.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "lacking romance" functions as a participial phrase or an adjective phrase. It is frequently used to modify nouns or clauses, providing a descriptive evaluation of a deficiency. According to Ludwig AI, it is often used as a predicative adjective following a linking verb (e.g., "the drama lacks romance") or as an appositive modifier separated by a comma.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

75%

Wiki

10%

Academia

5%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

5%

Social Media

3%

Science

2%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "lacking romance" is a versatile and correct phrase used to highlight an emotional or aesthetic void. Ludwig AI confirms its frequent presence in high-authority media, where it often describes things that are technically perfect but emotionally cold. Whether you are critiquing a film, describing a clinical environment or reflecting on a relationship, this phrase provides a clear and professional way to express a specific type of deficiency. While closely related to "lacking in romance", the direct version is often preferred for its brevity in modern writing.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

lacking in romance

Adds a preposition to emphasize the specific area of deficiency

devoid of romance

Suggests a complete and absolute absence

unromantic

Uses a direct adjective rather than a participial phrase

without romance

Employs a simple prepositional structure for clarity

bereft of romance

Carries a more poetic or tragic connotation of loss

missing a spark

Uses an idiomatic expression to describe the lack of chemistry

deficient in passion

Shifts the focus to a lack of intensity or fervor

dry and clinical

Describes the character of the atmosphere that causes the lack of romance

sterile

A stronger, more negative term for a lack of warmth or vitality

sentiment-free

Focuses on the absence of emotional sentiment specifically

FAQs

Is it correct to say "lacking romance" or "lacking in romance"?

Both are grammatically correct and widely used. "lacking romance" is slightly more concise, while "lacking in romance" is a very common idiomatic variation found in literature and journalism.

What is a more formal way to say "lacking romance"?

In formal or academic contexts, you might use phrases like "devoid of romantic elements" or "deficient in sentiment".

Can I use "lacking romance" to describe a business setting?

Yes, it is often used metaphorically to describe business environments that are clinical, cold or purely transactional, as seen in sources like Forbes.

What does "lacking romance" mean in a film review?

It typically suggests that the chemistry between actors is weak or that the story fails to evoke a sense of wonder and emotional intimacy, similar to being "missing a spark".