as in shortages
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
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of deficiencies
That may come down to the performance of the Bears defense, which has relied on a league-best 33 turnovers to make up for other deficiencies.
—
Hank Gola, New York Daily News, 9 Jan. 2026
From vitamin D deficiencies to stumbling circadian rhythms, all these extra dark hours can cause major sleep disruptors.
—Hunter Boyce, AJC.com, 8 Jan. 2026
Patriots offensive coordinator Josh McDaniel took Maye to another level and has masked the deficiencies of a subpar offensive line to direct a top-five offense.
—Mike Jones, New York Times, 8 Jan. 2026
However, several nutrition experts said protein deficiencies aren’t a concern.
—Aria Bendix, NBC news, 7 Jan. 2026
Extreme or highly restrictive diets often cause nutrient deficiencies, metabolic slowdown, and other harmful side effects.
—Jillian Kubala, Health, 6 Jan. 2026
Baltimore’s consent decree similarly identified major deficiencies in training, including outdated curricula, inconsistent instruction, and inadequate field supervision.
—Karl W. Bickel, Baltimore Sun, 6 Jan. 2026
Opponents raised concerns about the cost of new construction and long-term debt, arguing that renovations could have addressed the library’s deficiencies.
—Daniel Hunt, Sacbee.com, 8 Nov. 2025
However, if the tree is showing little to no sign of growth, perform a soil test to see if there are any nutrient deficiencies, then fertilize accordingly.
—Luke Miller, Better Homes & Gardens, 6 Nov. 2025
Hank Gola, New York Daily News, 9 Jan. 2026
From vitamin D deficiencies to stumbling circadian rhythms, all these extra dark hours can cause major sleep disruptors.
—Hunter Boyce, AJC.com, 8 Jan. 2026
Patriots offensive coordinator Josh McDaniel took Maye to another level and has masked the deficiencies of a subpar offensive line to direct a top-five offense.
—Mike Jones, New York Times, 8 Jan. 2026
However, several nutrition experts said protein deficiencies aren’t a concern.
—Aria Bendix, NBC news, 7 Jan. 2026
Extreme or highly restrictive diets often cause nutrient deficiencies, metabolic slowdown, and other harmful side effects.
—Jillian Kubala, Health, 6 Jan. 2026
Baltimore’s consent decree similarly identified major deficiencies in training, including outdated curricula, inconsistent instruction, and inadequate field supervision.
—Karl W. Bickel, Baltimore Sun, 6 Jan. 2026
Opponents raised concerns about the cost of new construction and long-term debt, arguing that renovations could have addressed the library’s deficiencies.
—Daniel Hunt, Sacbee.com, 8 Nov. 2025
However, if the tree is showing little to no sign of growth, perform a soil test to see if there are any nutrient deficiencies, then fertilize accordingly.
—Luke Miller, Better Homes & Gardens, 6 Nov. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for deficiencies
Noun
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At the same time, a currency collapsing under international sanctions, water shortages and recurring power outages have sharpened a sense of crisis across the country.—
Roxana Saberi,
Time,
9 Jan. 2026
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At El Tejaban Mexican Grill in Richfield, sales have dropped by as much as 50%, forcing reduced hours and staffing shortages.—
WCCO Staff,
CBS News,
9 Jan. 2026
Noun
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So Vegas has to hope that their forward depth is strong enough to balance out where their star power lacks, relative to other contenders.—
The Athletic NHL,
New York Times,
2 Oct. 2025
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This absence — of God, of love, of plain community spirit — is a metaphor for the whole parish, where everyone is defined by their own lacks and deficiencies, the weaknesses that cause Wicks to despise them and vow to bring down them all.—
Damon Wise,
Deadline,
6 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
Oddly, despite his inadequacies, the Sad Art Dad suggests a promising cultural shift on-screen.—
Susie Goldsbrough,
The Atlantic,
28 Dec. 2025
-
Brydon Carse almost took a brilliant diving catch low to his left off Archer when Carey was on 52 and the 34-year-old later survived another incident that further exposed the inadequacies of some of the technology being used in this Ashes.—
Paul Newman,
New York Times,
17 Dec. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Deficiencies.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/deficiencies. Accessed 13 Jan. 2026.
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