1
as in insufficient
not coming up to an expected measure or meeting a particular need
we felt the afternoon television offerings were somewhat lacking in entertainment value
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in absent
not present or in evidence
for the moment anyway, wood for the fireplace is lacking
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of lacking
Caelyn Pender, Mercury News, 3 June 2026
Maresca’s raw qualifications, however, are somewhat lacking.
—Graham Ruthven, Forbes.com, 22 May 2026
Not just any type of bus, but a marshrutka—a crowded, rumbling, claustrophobic Soviet holdover minibus, solidly built with steel girding and equally lacking in shock absorbers and seat padding.
—Irene Zabytko
may 7, Literary Hub, 7 May 2026
So many young players come up the ranks lacking game management.
—Pierre Lebrun, New York Times, 7 May 2026
With Francisco Lindor, Jorge Polanco and Ronny Mauricio all injured, the options are somewhat lacking.
—Abbey Mastracco, New York Daily News, 4 May 2026
The detainees—from Pakistan, India, Nigeria, Bangladesh, Myanmar and eight other nations—were found in restricted compounds, some lacking passports or proper immigration documentation.
—Rodney Muhumuza, Los Angeles Times, 28 Apr. 2026
If your yard is a bit lacking in colorful birds, adding a feeder can help attract all sorts of them.
—Brittany Vanderbill, Better Homes & Gardens, 14 Apr. 2026
But the upper frequencies are still slightly lacking.
—Mark Knapp, PC Magazine, 30 Mar. 2026
Adjective
Coaches and teammates have struggled to remain in contact with him, and AIyuk’s rare social media posts have been both cryptic and lacking clues about his football ambitions.
—Caelyn Pender, Mercury News, 3 June 2026
Maresca’s raw qualifications, however, are somewhat lacking.
—Graham Ruthven, Forbes.com, 22 May 2026
Not just any type of bus, but a marshrutka—a crowded, rumbling, claustrophobic Soviet holdover minibus, solidly built with steel girding and equally lacking in shock absorbers and seat padding.
—Irene Zabytko
may 7, Literary Hub, 7 May 2026
So many young players come up the ranks lacking game management.
—Pierre Lebrun, New York Times, 7 May 2026
With Francisco Lindor, Jorge Polanco and Ronny Mauricio all injured, the options are somewhat lacking.
—Abbey Mastracco, New York Daily News, 4 May 2026
The detainees—from Pakistan, India, Nigeria, Bangladesh, Myanmar and eight other nations—were found in restricted compounds, some lacking passports or proper immigration documentation.
—Rodney Muhumuza, Los Angeles Times, 28 Apr. 2026
If your yard is a bit lacking in colorful birds, adding a feeder can help attract all sorts of them.
—Brittany Vanderbill, Better Homes & Gardens, 14 Apr. 2026
But the upper frequencies are still slightly lacking.
—Mark Knapp, PC Magazine, 30 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for lacking
Adjective
-
Consuming sufficient dietary sources of zinc is essential for maintaining health, but when dietary sources are insufficient, a zinc supplement may be beneficial.—
Amy Brownstein,
Verywell Health,
11 Dec. 2025
-
Those dynamics weren’t enough to propel the SCORE Act forward; last week’s vote was tabled due to insufficient support.—
Michael McCann,
Sportico.com,
9 Dec. 2025
Adjective
-
This comes after Scott was notably absent from the Chronicle of Philanthropy’s list of the top 50 donors of the year.—
Allison DeGrushe,
StyleCaster,
14 June 2026
-
Additionally, recipients must live in one of the 50 states, the District of Columbia, or the Northern Mariana Islands, and must not be absent from the United States for a full calendar month or 30 consecutive days.—
Kiara Moore,
The Washington Examiner,
14 June 2026
Verb
-
After being interrogated by investigators, the college student is seen sitting in a jail cell, begging to escape.—
Emily Blackwood,
People.com,
20 Aug. 2025
-
Kriger got a frantic call from the stage manager, begging her to sub in for the sick cast member.—
Jim Higgins,
jsonline.com,
20 Aug. 2025
Adjective
-
And resources will only get more scarce as pressure builds to cut costs and benefits in a tight job market.—
Jessica Guynn,
USA Today,
14 June 2026
-
Comparisons to Brunson’s achievement are scarce.—
Andrew Greif,
NBC news,
14 June 2026
Adjective
-
Kodi's adoption comes seven months after her beloved dog Mongo went missing.—
Madison E. Goldberg,
PEOPLE,
12 Dec. 2025
-
Our family will forever have a missing piece.—
Stephen Sorace,
FOXNews.com,
11 Dec. 2025
Verb
-
Authorities are asking the public for help in identifying the second gunman, urging anyone with information to come forward.—
Thao Nguyen,
USA Today,
11 June 2026
-
The body camera footage shows a shirtless Pino on another boat, and Brutto asking him if he was injured.—
David Goodhue,
Miami Herald,
10 June 2026
Adjective
-
This trend of inadequate math preparation among first-year university students, UC faculty said in their letter, results in instructors having to reteach middle school math while the level of course content drops below what’s needed for advanced STEM work.—
Tarini Mehta,
Sacbee.com,
11 June 2026
-
The hunger and economic strike began May 19, including at the Desert View Annex, a wing of the Adelanto ICE Processing Center, where detainees alleged subpar conditions and inadequate medical care.—
Ruben Vives,
Los Angeles Times,
11 June 2026
Verb
-
Iran has repeatedly refused for years to fully end its nuclear program, insisting it’s designed to protect Iran’s sovereignty and not to build a nuclear weapon.—
Sara Dorn,
Forbes.com,
11 June 2026
-
Paula Conaway alleged she was harassed and ultimately demoted from her position as deputy chief for insisting on accountability for officers under her command.—
Harrison Mantas,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
10 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Lacking.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/lacking. Accessed 17 Jun. 2026.
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