lack

verb \ ˈlak \

|Updated on: 13 Jul 2018

Examples: lack in a Sentence

Definition of lack

lacked; lacking; lacks

intransitive verb

1 : to be deficient or missing

time is lacking for a full explanation

2 : to be short or have need of something

he will not lack for advisers

The area does not lack for good restaurants.

transitive verb

: to stand in need of : suffer from the absence or deficiency of

lack the necessities of life

She lacked confidence.

See lack defined for English-language learners

See lack defined for kids

Examples of lack in a Sentence

His book lacks any coherent structure.
They lack a good strategy for winning the election.
This painting lacks any artistic value.
She has never been accused of lacking confidence.
Many of these people lack the basic necessities of life.

Recent Examples of lack from the Web

The challenge, especially for nursing applicants, is that many are fresh out of college and lack the needed experience.

— eric morath, WSJ, "U.S. Hiring Strong in June; Unemployment Rate Rises as More Enter Labor Force," 6 July 2018
Eton mess is essentially one more step beyond serving berries and cream, which is a great dessert already, but lacks any sort of complexity.

— carey polis, Bon Appetit, "Eton Mess Is the Cool, Laid-Back Friend Version of Dessert," 28 June 2018
The arrival of bike sharing company LimeBike has accelerated Hartford’s efforts to expand its commitment to cycling in a city where many residents lack cars.

— maya moore, Courant Community, "LimeBike Expands In Hartford As City Plans For More Bikes On Streets," 27 June 2018
And kids whose lives are unstable, who are bounced around, who lack supportive adults in their lives are kids who, far too often, are on paths to difficulties.

— Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, "Borsuk: What would Mister Rogers say about the images of kids at the southern border?," 22 June 2018
The programs are unsupported by research, misguided about the safe handling of trauma, and generally lack adequate on-site mental health care.

— karen de sa, BostonGlobe.com, "Teens pushed to the brink at ‘leadership’ camps," 18 June 2018
The programs are unsupported by research, misguided about the safe handling of trauma, and generally lack adequate on-site mental health care.

— San Francisco Chronicle, "A Retreat’s Risky Lessons," 14 June 2018
But otherwise Ocean’s 8 is full of diamonds, and lacking in sparkle.

— josephine livingstone, The New Republic, "In Ocean’s 8, Diamonds Are a Girl’s Best Friend," 12 June 2018
Although the Ukrainian state is weak, and its elites are not only corrupt but also lack capacity and coordination, ordinary Ukrainians across the country have an increasingly stronger sense of a common civic identity.

— joshua tucker, Washington Post, "Ukrainians are getting less divided by language, not more. Here’s the research.," 8 June 2018

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

Origin and Etymology of lack

see ²lack

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 12th century

in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 1

See Words from the same year

lack

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

See lack defined for English-language learners

Examples of lack in a Sentence

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

Recent Examples of lack from the Web

Lee Gelernt, an attorney for the American Civil Liberties Union, said the parent would have to file a separate lawsuit claiming lack of due process.

— latimes.com, "Some migrant children are reunited with parents as Trump administration misses court deadline," 11 July 2018
Beyond The Money Crunch Price is one of many barriers — alongside patients’ lack of awareness and doctors’ hesitation to prescribe — that threaten to exacerbate the already stark disparities in PrEP use and HIV infection rates.

— Washington Post, "Out-Of-Pocket Costs Put HIV Prevention Drug Out Of Reach For Many At Risk," 11 July 2018
He was treated for dehydration, lack of food and scratches, cuts and bruises and was placed in the custody of the Department of Public Health and Human Services.

— matt volz, The Seattle Times, "Officers describe faint whimper, finding abandoned infant," 10 July 2018
Plus, the feature will only download an episode when the one before it is deleted, saving you from annoying, lack of space notifications.

— madeline buxton, refinery29.com, "This New Netflix Hack Makes Watching Shows Offline Easier Than Ever," 10 July 2018
Between the heat and the lack of oxygen, Daniels died just a few hours after the power was shut off.

— renae reints, Fortune, "A Grandmother Who Relied on Oxygen Machine Died After Utility Shut Her Power Off," 10 July 2018
However, Watford have lowered their asking price following a lack of bids, reducing their demands to a more a reasonable £17m.

— SI.com, "Napoli Reportedly Target Watford Ace Roberto Pereyra as Carlo Ancelotti Era Begins at Partenopei," 10 July 2018
Some believed that the Detroit Golf Club's lack of practice facilities would be a hurdle in its big to host a PGA Tour event.

— kirkland crawford, Detroit Free Press, "PGA Tour's Rocket Mortgage Classic at Detroit Golf Club in June 2019," 10 July 2018
For one, the theory makes sense only in direct sunlight: in the shade, the lack of juxtaposition between hot black air and cool white air would preclude the formation of icy vortexes.

— katherine j. wu, Smithsonian, "Settling a Heated Debate—Do Zebra Stripes Keep These Animals Cool?," 10 July 2018

Origin and Etymology of lack

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

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 14th century

in the meaning defined at sense 1

See Words from the same year

lack Synonyms

LACK Defined for English Language Learners

lack

verb

Definition of lack for English Language Learners

: to not have (something) : to not have enough of (something) ( chiefly US )

lack

noun

Definition of lack for English Language Learners

: the state or condition of not having any or enough of something : the state or condition of lacking something

LACK Defined for Kids

lack

verb \ ˈlak \

Definition of lack for Students

lacked; lacking

1 : to be missing

Something is lacking in the soup.

2 : to need or be without something

I lack the necessary money.

lack

noun

Definition of lack for Students

: the fact or state of not having any or enough of something

a lack of time

Learn More about lack

See words that rhyme with lack Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for lack Spanish Central: Translation of lack Nglish: Translation of lack for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of lack for Arabic speakers Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about lack

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lack

Definition of lack

Examples of lack in a Sentence

Recent Examples of lack from the Web

Origin and Etymology of lack

lack

Definition of lack

Examples of lack in a Sentence

Recent Examples of lack from the Web

Origin and Etymology of lack

lack Synonyms

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LACK Defined for English Language Learners

lack

Definition of lack for English Language Learners

lack

Definition of lack for English Language Learners

LACK Defined for Kids

lack

Definition of lack for Students

lack

Definition of lack for Students

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