as in shortage
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 deficiency
Anthony, an aggressive scorer, had fallen out of the Magic’s playing rotation at times during the 2024-25 season because of his inefficiency on offense and his deficiencies as a defender.
—
Josh Robbins, New York Times, 16 June 2025
This can lead to fatigue, hair loss, and nutrient deficiencies.
—Jesse Pines, Forbes.com, 16 June 2025
Growing a garden can take a toll on your soil, leading to nutrient deficiencies, soil compaction, erosion, and other problems.
—Lauren Landers, Better Homes & Gardens, 14 June 2025
In November, Hillsborough commissioners voted to hire an independent engineering firm, Black & Veatch, for $500,000 to investigate the county’s stormwater infrastructure, identify deficiencies, explore policy changes and make recommendations.
—Colleen Wright, The Orlando Sentinel, 10 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for deficiency
Josh Robbins, New York Times, 16 June 2025
This can lead to fatigue, hair loss, and nutrient deficiencies.
—Jesse Pines, Forbes.com, 16 June 2025
Growing a garden can take a toll on your soil, leading to nutrient deficiencies, soil compaction, erosion, and other problems.
—Lauren Landers, Better Homes & Gardens, 14 June 2025
In November, Hillsborough commissioners voted to hire an independent engineering firm, Black & Veatch, for $500,000 to investigate the county’s stormwater infrastructure, identify deficiencies, explore policy changes and make recommendations.
—Colleen Wright, The Orlando Sentinel, 10 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for deficiency
Recent Examples of Synonyms for deficiency
Noun
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There is a growing shortage of drivers, rising costs, and relentless demand for faster deliveries.—
Kurt Knutsson,
FOXNews.com,
25 June 2025
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To address the critical worker shortage, Massachusetts must prioritize benefits and training and improve pay for DSPs.—
Brian Cusack,
Boston Herald,
25 June 2025
Noun
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Red Oak parent Maria Barraza previously warned that the consolidation would destroy the community built around Red Oak, and raised concerns about a lack of engagement from the district with the school’s Spanish-speaking families.—
Joseph States,
Chicago Tribune,
30 June 2025
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Some listeners began to have doubts about The Velvet Sundown's existence over the past week, with multiple Reddit and X threads pointing out the lack of verifiable information on the band.—
ArsTechnica,
ArsTechnica,
30 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Deficiency.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/deficiency. Accessed 4 Jul. 2025.
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