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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Recent Examples of deficiencies
But those who’ve watched the Blackhawks on a nightly basis know Spencer Knight has been masking some familiar defensive deficiencies.
—
Mark Lazerus, New York Times, 31 Oct. 2025
This year, head coach Ime Udoka has even used him to initiate offense, thanks in part to some of Sheppard's deficiencies and one critical absence.
—Alex Kirschenbaum, MSNBC Newsweek, 31 Oct. 2025
Additionally, various sanitation deficiencies such as old food residue on equipment, lack of proper glove use during food preparation, and pest contamination, city officials said.
—Shambhavi Rimal, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 31 Oct. 2025
For weeks, Shanahan and his staff have been pulling off a high-wire act, using elite schemes and clever coaching to mask the deficiencies of third-stringers and street free agents.
—Dieter Kurtenbach, Mercury News, 26 Oct. 2025
Vitamin D and magnesium are also commonly recommended, as deficiencies in these nutrients are prevalent among women with PCOS.
—Memorialcare Medical Group, Oc Register, 23 Oct. 2025
People with severe deficiencies may require intravenous (IV) magnesium or potassium given in a healthcare setting.
—Brittany Lubeck, Verywell Health, 22 Oct. 2025
Plaintiffs also cast doubt on Circle K’s assertion that Angeles was uniquely qualified to be West Coast regional director with evidence of deficiencies in Angeles’s past performance.
—Dan Eaton, San Diego Union-Tribune, 20 Oct. 2025
These nutrient deficiencies can worsen the condition.
—Merve Ceylan, Health, 19 Oct. 2025
Mark Lazerus, New York Times, 31 Oct. 2025
This year, head coach Ime Udoka has even used him to initiate offense, thanks in part to some of Sheppard's deficiencies and one critical absence.
—Alex Kirschenbaum, MSNBC Newsweek, 31 Oct. 2025
Additionally, various sanitation deficiencies such as old food residue on equipment, lack of proper glove use during food preparation, and pest contamination, city officials said.
—Shambhavi Rimal, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 31 Oct. 2025
For weeks, Shanahan and his staff have been pulling off a high-wire act, using elite schemes and clever coaching to mask the deficiencies of third-stringers and street free agents.
—Dieter Kurtenbach, Mercury News, 26 Oct. 2025
Vitamin D and magnesium are also commonly recommended, as deficiencies in these nutrients are prevalent among women with PCOS.
—Memorialcare Medical Group, Oc Register, 23 Oct. 2025
People with severe deficiencies may require intravenous (IV) magnesium or potassium given in a healthcare setting.
—Brittany Lubeck, Verywell Health, 22 Oct. 2025
Plaintiffs also cast doubt on Circle K’s assertion that Angeles was uniquely qualified to be West Coast regional director with evidence of deficiencies in Angeles’s past performance.
—Dan Eaton, San Diego Union-Tribune, 20 Oct. 2025
These nutrient deficiencies can worsen the condition.
—Merve Ceylan, Health, 19 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for deficiencies
Noun
-
Preparing to vote The Independence School Board voted in 2022 to implement the four-day school week for the 2023-2024 school year, citing teacher shortages.—
Ilana Arougheti
Updated October 30,
Kansas City Star,
30 Oct. 2025
-
Strong expectations for earnings from key players such as Samsung and SK Hynix have lifted investor sentiment, fueled further by projections of a supercycle driven by global supply shortages in memory chips.—
Lee Ying Shan,
CNBC,
30 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
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
-
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
-
The 2024 three-part docuseries American Nightmare dives headfirst into several thought-provoking issues, like victim blaming and the glaring inadequacies in the criminal justice system.—
James Mercadante,
PEOPLE,
25 Oct. 2025
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The clapping served as an audible reminder of the Aztecs’ offensive inadequacies, and players visibly tightened as the clanked shots and errant passes mounted.—
Mark Zeigler,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
19 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Deficiencies.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/deficiencies. Accessed 7 Nov. 2025.
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