Entry Word: wanting

Function: adjective

Meaning: 1 falling short of a standard <we tried her cooking and found it to be very wanting> — see bad 1
2 not coming up to a usual standard or meeting a particular need <at this time of year food for many wild animals is wanting> — see short 3
3 not present or in evidence <grass is almost entirely wanting in that arid wasteland> — see absent 2