Synonyms for deficiency
Most common
insufficiency inadequacy defect shortcoming lack shortage want
Synonyms by meaning
Noun
1. Insufficiency
insufficiency, inadequacy, defect, shortcoming, weakness, failure, drawback, infirmity, inferiority, failing, fault, incompleteness, imperfection, frailty, sin, minus, foible, defectiveness, defalcation, flaw
2. Lack — an insufficiency, especially of something essential to health
lack, shortage, scarcity, absence, dearth, destitution, scantiness, wantfulness
3. Lacking — inadequacy or incompleteness
Definitions
- n. 1
Inadequacy or incompleteness.
- n. 2
An insufficiency, especially of something essential to health.
- n. 3
The amount by which the number of double points on a curve is short of the maximum for curves of the same degree.
Related words
- Phrases
- iron deficiency
Forms
- Plural
- deficiencies → insufficiencies, inadequacies, defects, shortcomings…
Example sentences
- defect There must be a defect in the experimental method.
- inadequacy Stop throwing my inadequacy in my face!
- insufficiency The drought led to an insufficiency of food.
- lack I had to leave out this problem for lack of space.
- shortage There is a labor shortage of computer programmers.
Popularity over time
| Word | 1850 → 2019 | Trend |
|---|---|---|
| deficiency | falling | |
| defect | steady | |
| inadequacy | falling | |
| insufficiency | steady | |
| shortcoming | steady | |
| lack | steady |
Use in printed books, per decade from 1850 to 2019.
By length
- 3 letters
- sin1
- 4 letters
- want1, lack1, flaw1
- 5 letters
- fault1, minus2
- 6 letters
- defect2, dearth1, foible2
- 7 letters
- failure2, failing2, absence2, default2, lacking2, frailty2
- 8 letters
- weakness2, shortage2, scarcity3, omission3, drawback2
- 9 letters
- infirmity4
- 10 letters
- inadequacy5, scantiness3
- 11 letters
- inferiority6, shortcoming3, destitution4, defalcation, wantfulness, lackingness
- 12 letters
- imperfection4
- 13 letters
- insufficiency5, defectiveness
- 14 letters
- incompleteness
The small number after each word is its number of syllables (minus2 = 2 syllables).
In other languages
- Français
- déficience