of dire importance

USAGE SUMMARY

"of dire importance" is a correct and usable phrase in written English.
It is used to emphasize the seriousness or necessity of a situation. For example: "This detail is of dire importance to the successful outcome of the project."

✓ Grammatically correct

Wiki

News & Media

Science

Encyclopedias

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

1 human-written examples

This is especially important to note if you are faking sick or staying home for a reason that is not of dire importance.

WikiHow

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

59 human-written examples

For years, education advocates have highlighted the dire importance of closing the achievement gap of academic performance between students of different ethnic and socioeconomic groups.

Huffington Post

The humanitarian situation is still dire, of course.

The New York Times

Based on analyses using tissue specificity gene expression datasets, the developers of DiRE show that an importance score cutoff of 0.10 is reasonable for achieving good specificity and precision [ 45], therefore we used this cutoff to identify those tfbs that are significantly enriched in sequence surrounding up or downregulated genes from each dataset (Additional File 4).

BMC Systems Biology

The mean annual temperature of Dire Dawa is about 25.4 °C.

Pastoralism

"Symbolically, her reintroduction into the political life of the country at such a dire moment is of enormous importance".

The New York Times

This is of little importance.

The Economist

Tourism is of growing importance.

Encyclopedia Britannica

"(They are of) huge importance.

Independent

Hydroelectricity is of growing importance.

Encyclopedia Britannica

Of utmost importance was fire.

Encyclopedia Britannica

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "of dire importance" to signal a sense of urgency and potential crisis. Reserve it for situations where immediate action is required.

Common error

Avoid using "of dire importance" in contexts that are not genuinely serious. Using it too frequently can dilute its impact and make your writing sound melodramatic. Choose a synonym that is appropriate for the gravity of your message.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "of dire importance" functions as a prepositional phrase that modifies a noun, emphasizing its significance. According to Ludwig AI, it is used to highlight the seriousness or necessity of a situation, indicating that something is extremely critical or urgent.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

25%

Science

25%

Wiki

25%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

25%

Formal & Business

0%

Academia

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "of dire importance" is a phrase used to emphasize the critical nature of a situation, suggesting that immediate action is needed to avert potential negative consequences. According to Ludwig AI, the phrase is grammatically correct and emphasizes the seriousness of the situation. Although the examples show it's infrequent, its use in reputable sources across news, scientific, and general contexts validates its appropriateness in formal writing. When using "of dire importance", writers should be mindful of the potential for overuse and ensure that the context warrants such a strong emphasis. Alternatives such as "critically important" or "of utmost significance" may be more suitable in less severe situations.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

of utmost significance

Replaces 'importance' with 'significance' and 'dire' with 'utmost', heightening the level of criticality.

of paramount importance

Substitutes 'dire' with 'paramount', signifying supreme importance.

critically important

Simplifies the structure while retaining a high degree of emphasis on importance.

vitally important

Emphasizes that something is essential for life or success.

of critical consequence

Shifts focus to the potential outcomes, emphasizing the severe results of ignoring the matter.

absolutely essential

Focuses on the necessity of something, conveying that it cannot be done without.

imperative

A more concise term indicating something is urgently necessary or demanded.

urgently needed

Highlights the pressing need for something to be addressed immediately.

cannot be overstated

Emphasizes that the level of importance is so high it's hard to exaggerate.

of the essence

Highlights how crucial and fundamental something is to the situation.

FAQs

How can I use "of dire importance" in a sentence?

Use "of dire importance" to emphasize that something is extremely critical and needs immediate attention. For instance, "Ensuring data security is of dire importance to maintain customer trust."

What can I say instead of "of dire importance"?

You can use alternatives like "critically important", "of utmost significance", or "vitally important" depending on the context.

Is it appropriate to use "of dire importance" in formal writing?

Yes, "of dire importance" is appropriate for formal writing when describing a situation that is genuinely critical. However, ensure the tone remains professional and not overly dramatic.

What's the difference between "of dire importance" and "of great importance"?

"Of dire importance" suggests a greater sense of urgency and potential negative consequences than "of great importance". Use "of dire importance" when the situation is genuinely critical and requires immediate action.