lack

²lack

noun

Definition of LACK

1

: the fact or state of being wanting or deficient <a lack of evidence>

2

: something that is lacking or is needed

Examples of LACK

1. The problem is a lack of money.
2. She has been suffering from a lack of sleep lately.
3. Her problem is lack of sleep.

Origin of LACK

Middle English lak; akin to Middle Dutch lak lack, Old Norse lakr defective

First Known Use: 14th century

Related to LACK

Synonyms: absence, dearth, want

Antonyms: presence

Related Words: deficiency, deficit, failure, famine, inadequacy, inadequateness, insufficiency, meagerness, paucity, poverty, scantiness, scantness, scarceness, scarcity, shortage, skimpiness, undersupply; deprivation, loss, necessity, need, needfulness, omission; privation; blankness, emptiness, vacuity, vacuum, void

Near Antonyms: abundance, amplitude, bounty, plenitude, plenteousness, plentifulness, plentitude, plenty, wealth; adequacy, sufficiency; excess, overabundance, oversupply, superabundance, surfeit, surplus; deluge, flood; bushel, deal, gobs, heap, loads, lot, mass, mountain, much, oodles, peck, pile, pot, quantity, raft, reams, scads, stack, volume, wad; fund, pool, stock, supply; cache, hoard, stash, stockpile

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