1
as in incomplete
lacking some necessary part
a diet deficient in calcium can lead to weak bones
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in unacceptable
falling short of a standard
woefully deficient eyesight kept him out of military service
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in lacking
not coming up to an expected measure or meeting a particular need
too deficient in common sense to be trusted to stay by himself
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of deficient
Night trains generally were also found to be deficient in bicycle storage space.
—
Tanya Mohn, Forbes.com, 13 June 2025
Even in developed countries like the U.S. though, research shows that nearly 1/3 of the population is deficient in at least one vitamin or mineral.
—Daryl Austin, USA Today, 7 June 2025
Trump cited national security concerns in the proclamation, adding that the countries facing restrictions have deficient screening and vetting processes to protect against individuals who threaten U.S. national interests.
—Molly Gibbs, Sacbee.com, 6 June 2025
But for those who are deficient—which can be confirmed by a blood test—supplements are necessary.
—Erica Sweeney, Time, 28 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for deficient
Tanya Mohn, Forbes.com, 13 June 2025
Even in developed countries like the U.S. though, research shows that nearly 1/3 of the population is deficient in at least one vitamin or mineral.
—Daryl Austin, USA Today, 7 June 2025
Trump cited national security concerns in the proclamation, adding that the countries facing restrictions have deficient screening and vetting processes to protect against individuals who threaten U.S. national interests.
—Molly Gibbs, Sacbee.com, 6 June 2025
But for those who are deficient—which can be confirmed by a blood test—supplements are necessary.
—Erica Sweeney, Time, 28 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for deficient
Recent Examples of Synonyms for deficient
Adjective
-
Yet leaders of those two nations seem unlikely to refuse to retaliate because of incomplete evidence.—
Michael Lynch,
Forbes.com,
1 July 2025
-
Maybe this was a manifestation of the same streaming bloat that has also, recently, produced maddeningly incomplete seasons of hit shows like The Last of Us and Squid Game.—
Judy Berman,
Time,
26 June 2025
Adjective
-
The use of unilateral sanctions against Special Rapporteurs or any other UN expert or official is unacceptable.—
Amira El-Fekki,
MSNBC Newsweek,
11 July 2025
-
Students, both the ones who behave and the ones who misbehave, need to know that there are real consequences for unacceptable behavior.—
Carrie Lukas,
Forbes.com,
9 July 2025
Adjective
-
However, according to the Baseball Rules Academy, the umpires got the call wrong.—
Ryan Canfield,
FOXNews.com,
5 July 2025
-
One of the company’s big assumptions about the phone had turned out to be wrong.—
Verne Kopytoff,
Fortune,
5 July 2025
Adjective
-
What began as a clinical workaround in the face of inadequate training has helped fuel a national crisis driven by multiple complex factors, with human costs that are still mounting.—
Hany Demian,
Forbes.com,
10 July 2025
-
Several after-action reports from the massive protests in 2020 found glaring problems in the department’s handling of the demonstrations, concluding that poor planning, inadequate training and inconsistent leadership within the department contributed to disorder in the streets.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
10 July 2025
Adjective
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For certain situations, particularly if someone is in poor health, experts generally say claiming early makes sense.—
Lorie Konish,
CNBC,
11 July 2025
-
The day before the Apollo 11 moon launch on 16 July 1969, Ralph Abernathy, Martin Luther King’s successor as head of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference, led a march of poor Black families, complete with wagons drawn by mules, to the fence of Cape Kennedy in Florida.—
Ekow Eshun
July 11,
Literary Hub,
11 July 2025
Adjective
-
But the data remains woefully insufficient to conclude what long-term exposure means for individuals, especially for vulnerable groups such as children or those with respiratory problems.—
Tammy Murga,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
5 July 2025
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Among other issues, the board cited inadequate inventory of unexploded ordnance and insufficient inventory of ancient burials and associated artifacts.—
Audrey McAvoy,
Los Angeles Times,
4 July 2025
Adjective
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As holidays go, however, Flag Day can feel a bit lame.—
Kevin Fisher-Paulson,
San Francisco Chronicle,
8 June 2021
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My 11-year-old loved watching the pups roll balls and play a giant floor piano, but for non-dog owners (guilty as charged), parts of the series—like dressing dogs in little hats and outfits for a Parisian fashion show—feel lame.—
Tim Neville,
Outside Online,
23 Nov. 2020
Adjective
-
But Littell, who had been on a good roll, had — by his standards — a bad day, allowing the Tigers to go ahead 3-2 in the fourth.—
Marc Topkin,
The Orlando Sentinel,
10 July 2025
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But there's also nothing worse than missing a connection that delays your trip by hours or even a full day.—
Brandee Gruener,
Southern Living,
10 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Deficient.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/deficient. Accessed 16 Jul. 2025.
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