Synonyms of deficiency

deficiency

noun

di-ˈfi-shən-sē 

as in shortage

a falling short of an essential or desirable amount or number

there is a deficiency of fresh food in the diet of many of the working poor

Synonyms & Similar Words

• shortage
• lack
• deficit
• insufficiency
• scarcity
• inadequacy
• absence
• drought
• paucity
• poverty
• famine
• lacuna
• failure
• dearth
• inadequateness
• undersupply
• scantiness
• crunch
• omission
• pinch
• scarceness
• necessity
• want
• meagerness
• privation
• skimpiness
• poorness
• need

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• adequacy
• sufficiency
• abundance
• amplitude
• wealth
• plenty
• opulence
• plenitude
• surplus
• excess
• overabundance
• oversupply
• copiousness
• surfeit
• bountifulness

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of deficiency

The most recent inspection of Six Flags Over Georgia's Goliath roller coaster found no violations or deficiencies, the office responsible for the safety of amusement park rides in Georgia said Thursday, days after a man fatally fell from the ride. — ABC News, 15 Oct. 2026

Education - North Carolina must invest to correct any educational deficiencies and to make sure that teachers are compensated at or above the national average salary. — Mary Ramsey, Charlotte Observer, 14 Oct. 2026

Communicate that one political conclusion represents enlightenment while another represents moral deficiency. — Rabbi Bruce D. Forman, Sun Sentinel, 13 Oct. 2026

Both teams have won just one game and have deficiencies on both sides of the ball. — Bobby Burack Outkick, FOXNews.com, 12 Oct. 2026