woefully missing

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "woefully missing" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to describe something that is significantly lacking or absent, often in a context where the absence is considered unfortunate or regrettable. Example: "The report was woefully missing key data that could have influenced the outcome of the study."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

4 human-written examples

Despite the overwhelming sense that she would contribute gravitas and intellectual rigor that have been woefully missing from the G.O.P. contest, a Palin candidacy appears unlikely, a spokesman said.

The New Yorker

Cesar goofed woefully, missing a simple clearance, but Donovan took full advantage, racing into the box and smashing the ball into the roof of the net from a tough angle.

The Guardian - Sport

According to David Bienenstock, a former senior editor for High Times, Arjan has "adopted a modern marketing sensibility," something that's woefully missing in much of the nascent industry.

Vice

TV shows, comic strips and jokes show men desperately trying to find the right gift for their partners -- and sometimes woefully missing the mark.

Huffington Post

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

54 human-written examples

capitalized on a woefully miss-hit punt by Miami's Brian Monroe to take a 14-3 lead.

The New York Times - Sports

O.C.'s missing inspections: Orange County is woefully understaffed when it comes to inspecting weights and meters in gas stations, marketplaces and vehicles.

Los Angeles Times

He remained unperturbed by wickets falling at the other end, with Morgan missing a reverse sweep to Dananjaya and being given out leg before, and a woefully out of form Ravi Bopara scratching around for six balls before being bowled by Jeevan Mendis.

BBC

But he missed the mark woefully, overshooting to produce landscapes of Rome that managed to be both garish and tepid – the sort of thing any talented amateur could knock up for themselves.

The Guardian - Books

Sex ed for young women is woefully missing in a mobile world.

TechCrunch

The historic art nouveau Hotel Pariz has one star more than the Josef but was half as good, despite its ritzy rep and high ceilings; a woefully under-equipped bathroom and mini-bar made us miss our plush, stark playpen.

The Guardian - Travel

However, due to the woefully inadequate awareness of it, the ratio of initial misdiagnosis and missed diagnosis is pretty high, and it also make contribute to the long mean time (13 months) from symptom onset to diagnosis [47], eventually the headache disorder can evolve into a chronic daily headache pattern [59].

The Journal of Headache and Pain

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "woefully missing" to highlight a significant and unfortunate absence or deficiency, particularly when emphasizing the negative impact of that absence.

Common error

Avoid using "woefully missing" in informal or casual settings where a less emphatic phrase would be more appropriate. The term carries a strong negative connotation and is best reserved for situations where the deficiency is truly significant.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "woefully missing" functions as an adverbial modifier followed by an adjective phrase. "Woefully" intensifies the degree to which something is missing. Ludwig AI confirms its usability, indicating it correctly modifies and emphasizes the absence of something.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

100%

Less common in

Science

0%

Formal & Business

0%

Academia

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "woefully missing" is used to express a strong sense of lack or absence, primarily in news and media contexts. As confirmed by Ludwig AI, it is grammatically correct and functions as an adverbial modifier emphasizing the degree to which something is lacking. While effective for highlighting significant deficiencies, it should be used judiciously and avoided in casual contexts where a less emphatic phrase would suffice. Related alternatives include phrases like "severely lacking" or "greatly absent", offering nuanced options to convey a similar meaning with varying degrees of intensity.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

severely lacking

Replaces "woefully" with "severely", indicating a serious deficiency.

greatly absent

Substitutes "missing" with "absent" and "woefully" with "greatly" denoting a significant absence.

conspicuously absent

Highlights that the absence is very noticeable, akin to 'glaringly inadequate'.

markedly deficient

Uses "markedly" to emphasize the noticeable deficiency, replacing "woefully" and "missing" with "deficient".

glaringly inadequate

Emphasizes the inadequacy with "glaringly", suggesting the deficiency is obvious.

noticeably absent

Focuses on the absence being easily noticed, reducing the intensity compared to "woefully missing".

plainly insufficient

Highlights the insufficiency in a straightforward manner, using "plainly" to indicate clarity.

sadly lacking

Adds an emotional tone with "sadly", indicating regret over the deficiency.

regrettably absent

Similar to "sadly lacking" but more formal, expressing regret over the absence.

badly needed

Changes the focus to what is needed, implying that it is currently missing to a great extent.

FAQs

How can I use "woefully missing" in a sentence?

Use "woefully missing" to emphasize that something important is significantly lacking, such as, "The report was "woefully missing" key data that could have influenced the outcome."

What phrases are similar to "woefully missing"?

Similar phrases include "severely lacking", "greatly absent", or "markedly deficient", depending on the specific nuance you wish to convey.

Is "woefully missing" formal or informal?

"Woefully missing" is generally considered a neutral to formal expression. While understandable in most contexts, it is most effective in situations where a strong, negative emphasis is appropriate. More informal contexts might benefit from simpler phrasing.

When should I not use "woefully missing"?

Avoid using "woefully missing" in situations where the lack is minor or insignificant. In such cases, phrases like "slightly lacking" or "somewhat absent" would be more appropriate.