Synonyms for lacking
- adjective
- noun
Most common
All synonyms
Adjective
1. Insufficient
insufficient, missing, absent, wanting, inadequate, devoid, void, short, shy, dearthy
Other
Noun
Definitions
- adj. 1
Missing or not having enough of (a good quality, etc).
This cheese is lacking in pungency.
- n. 1
The absence of something that is desirable or otherwise ought to be present.
Forms
- Plural
- lackings → deficiencies…
Example sentences
- missing I was angry about missing that film at the cinema.
- wanting I've been wanting to do that for a very long time.
- inadequate At times like this, words are woefully inadequate.
- insufficient Due to insufficient sales, many shops are closed.
- deficient English is a very deficient language in this area.
Popularity over time
| Word | 1850 → 2019 | Trend |
|---|---|---|
| lacking | steady | |
| missing | rising | |
| wanting | rising | |
| inadequate | falling | |
| insufficient | falling |
Use in printed books, per decade from 1850 to 2019.
By length
- 3 letters
- shy1
- 4 letters
- void1
- 5 letters
- short1
- 6 letters
- absent2, devoid2
- 7 letters
- missing2, wanting2, dearthy
- 9 letters
- deficient3
- 10 letters
- inadequate4, deficiency4
- 12 letters
- insufficient4, noneffective
The small number after each word is its number of syllables (absent2 = 2 syllables).