deficient

adjective

de·fi·cient | \di-ˈfi-shənt

Definition of deficient

(Entry 1 of 2)

1 : lacking in some necessary quality or element deficient in judgment bones deficient in calcium

2 : not up to a normal standard or complement (see complement entry 1 sense 1b(1)) : defective deficient strength … rusted and aging pipes … abetted by deficient maintenance and sabotage.— Adam Nossiter

deficient

noun

Definition of deficient (Entry 2 of 2)

: a person or thing that is deficient a mental deficient

Other Words from deficient Synonyms & Antonyms More Example Sentences Learn More about deficient

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Examples of deficient in a Sentence

Adjective

Several bridges in the city are structurally deficient. a diet deficient in calcium can lead to weak bones

Recent Examples on the Web: Adjective

The dangers of losing oxygen, explained The US Occupational Safety and Health Administration considers environments with less than a 19.5 percent oxygen by volume to be oxygen-deficient, and a health hazard. — Brian Resnick, Vox, "Why the trapped Thai soccer team is in increasing trouble: they’re running out of oxygen," 6 July 2018 Fish is the only good dietary sources of vitamin D. Fatty fish is an excellent source of vitamin D, and important nutrient that over 40% of people may be deficient in. — Orthocincy, Cincinnati.com, "Benefits of eating fish," 19 June 2018 Viewing the world through these lenses led to the medicalization of any and all dissent: Anything less than full-throated chauvinism meant a person was deficient in Gemüt, which, in turn, was potentially damaging to the Volk. — Seth Mnookin, New York Times, "Was Autism a Nazi Invention?," 18 June 2018 The Lowveld already has nutrient-poor soil, and deficient plants can make for poor sustenance for animals, which can push these deficiencies up the food chain from grass-grazing species like buffalo to apex predators like lions. — Elaina Zachos, National Geographic, "Exclusive: Fatal Disease Likely Found in Lion Cubs for First Time," 11 Apr. 2018 Survivors arrived at the camps with a host of overlapping health issues— tuberculosis, starvation, infectious skin conditions — that were exacerbated by deficient care, said Jael Geis of the Jewish Museum in Berlin at the conference. — Emanuella Grinberg, Smithsonian, "When a Bavarian Monastery Provided a Home to Jewish Refugees," 11 July 2018 Middles, by contrast, are characterized primarily as envious and are perceived as especially deficient in attributes related to confidence. — Adam Sternbergh, The Cut, "The Extinction of the Middle Child," 11 July 2018 But in the 1950’s, the practice expanded to poor or illegitimate families who were seen as economically or morally deficient, Agence France-Presse reports. — Casey Quackenbush, Time, "Spain to Begin the First Ever Franco-Era 'Stolen Babies' Trial," 26 June 2018 But Idaho Power is scheduled to be energy deficient by 2026. — Heather Kennison, idahostatesman, "What's it like to rely on renewable energy? Look at life in Idaho.," 26 June 2018

Recent Examples on the Web: Noun

But rising home prices are bailing out large numbers of the equity deficient: their number is down by more than 1.2 million in the last 12 months. — Kenneth R. Harney, miamiherald, "Which U.S. neighborhood has homeowners with the most equity? Answer may surprise you," 22 Aug. 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'deficient.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

History and Etymology for deficient

Adjective

borrowed from Latin dēficient-, dēficiens, present participle of dēficere "to leave without enough, let down, be lacking, run short, fail," from dē- de- + facere "to make, bring about, perform, do" — more at fact

Noun

derivative of deficient entry 1

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