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
Rain Precipitation might be Wuthering Heights the novel’s most canonical liquid as Northern England is a place where basically every single person and living creature is vitamin D deficient.
—
Fran Hoepfner, Vulture, 16 Feb. 2026
And perhaps most important, by empowering Congress, not the president, to remedy deficient state electoral schemes, the Constitution prevents presidents from rewriting the election code by executive fiat and thus provides an additional safeguard against military dictatorship.
—Jeffrey Rosen, The Atlantic, 16 Feb. 2026
As a result the Red Sox head into 2026 with legitimate playoff aspirations, but also with one of the most power-deficient lineups in baseball.
—Mac Cerullo, Boston Herald, 15 Feb. 2026
Pretermissions can take place if a case is incomplete or legally deficient.
—Ximena Bustillo, NPR, 9 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for deficient
Fran Hoepfner, Vulture, 16 Feb. 2026
And perhaps most important, by empowering Congress, not the president, to remedy deficient state electoral schemes, the Constitution prevents presidents from rewriting the election code by executive fiat and thus provides an additional safeguard against military dictatorship.
—Jeffrey Rosen, The Atlantic, 16 Feb. 2026
As a result the Red Sox head into 2026 with legitimate playoff aspirations, but also with one of the most power-deficient lineups in baseball.
—Mac Cerullo, Boston Herald, 15 Feb. 2026
Pretermissions can take place if a case is incomplete or legally deficient.
—Ximena Bustillo, NPR, 9 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for deficient
Recent Examples of Synonyms for deficient
Adjective
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Internal emails reviewed by the Herald/Times show that Uthmeier began teaching at UF’s Levin College of Law more than a month before his first course was formally approved, submitted incomplete syllabi and never received the full faculty sign-off required under law school protocols.—
Garrett Shanley,
Miami Herald,
5 Mar. 2026
-
The dam should be left as a monument and memorial to the folly and damage that the incomplete Barge Canal caused.—
Letters to the Editor,
The Orlando Sentinel,
5 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
Anti-American and antisemitic rhetoric should be categorically unacceptable in any venue.—
Sun Sentinel Editorial Board,
Sun Sentinel,
3 Mar. 2026
-
When direct conflict carries unacceptable escalation risk, sustained pressure below the threshold of force offers states a way to bend the will of a rival nation without triggering open war.—
Andrew Latham,
The Conversation,
3 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
And don’t give me the lacking pass protection nonsense.—
Troy Renck,
Denver Post,
2 Mar. 2026
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But Bob is historically tardy and his research and prep work is historically always pretty lacking.—
Outside Online,
Outside Online,
25 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
Colin Gray, at his construction job, texted him what was wrong, but the teen didn’t respond, text evidence shows.—
Eric Levenson,
CNN Money,
28 Feb. 2026
-
There are no wrong moves, only infinite possibilities.—
Talia Abbas,
Vogue,
28 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
In 1969, health experts at a White House Conference on Food, Nutrition, and Health concluded nutrition in medical education was inadequate and recommended making funds for future program development available.—
Berkeley Lovelace Jr,
NBC news,
5 Mar. 2026
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Advocates for Eaton and Palisades fire survivors accuse virtually every insurance company of attempting to lowball homeowners by using industrial hygienists who conduct inadequate analyses.—
Tony Saavedra,
Daily News,
5 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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Through its clear imagery, operators can navigate safely and assess fire scenes even with poor visibility.—
Atharva Gosavi,
Interesting Engineering,
4 Mar. 2026
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An injection like this has a clear advantage over daily prevention pills in poorer countries, where patients – particularly young women – might struggle to access clinics or feel stigmatised for seeking treatment.—
Harriet Marsden,
TheWeek,
3 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
The mall had insufficient exterior lighting, the city said, and graffiti resulting from deferred or neglected maintenance.—
Roger Vincent,
Los Angeles Times,
6 Mar. 2026
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Scientists found that the number of high schoolers getting insufficient sleep — less than seven hours a night — has increased from 69% to 77%.—
Berly McCoy,
NPR,
6 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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Saying the house is like a character too sounds a bit lame.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
18 Feb. 2026
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That huge war chest would be especially remarkable amassed by a lame-duck president.—
Susan Page,
USA Today,
16 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Deficient.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/deficient. Accessed 8 Mar. 2026.
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