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
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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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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of deficient
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
Ars Video Whether the Take It Down Act can survive a potential constitutional challenge or not, the 48-hour timeline may be deficient for other reasons, though, victim testimony suggests.
—Ashley Belanger – May 19, ArsTechnica, 19 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for deficient
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
Ars Video Whether the Take It Down Act can survive a potential constitutional challenge or not, the 48-hour timeline may be deficient for other reasons, though, victim testimony suggests.
—Ashley Belanger – May 19, ArsTechnica, 19 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for deficient
Recent Examples of Synonyms for deficient
Adjective
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Yet leaders of those two nations seem unlikely to refuse to retaliate because of incomplete evidence.—
Michael Lynch,
Forbes.com,
1 July 2025
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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
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Meanwhile, an unacceptable state of affairs persists.—
The Editorial Board,
Chicago Tribune,
26 June 2025
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Sending everything to centralized clouds for processing often introduces unacceptable lag, measured in lost opportunities, safety risks or operational disruptions.—
Sven Oehme,
Forbes.com,
25 June 2025
Adjective
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However, according to the Baseball Rules Academy, the umpires got the call wrong.—
Ryan Canfield,
FOXNews.com,
5 July 2025
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One of the company’s big assumptions about the phone had turned out to be wrong.—
Verne Kopytoff,
Fortune,
5 July 2025
Adjective
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Furthermore, decades of secondary math teacher shortages means that many positions have been filled by individuals teaching on substandard credentials who have inadequate preparation in math or pedagogy or both.—
Linda Darling-Hammond,
Forbes.com,
28 June 2025
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Physical health plays a crucial role too -- being overweight and having inadequate physical activity can negatively impact fertility.—
Doc Louallen,
ABC News,
27 June 2025
Adjective
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Despite having a poor 2024 season that saw the Pirates remove Bednar from the closer role, the right-hander is back to his dominant form.—
Zach Pressnell,
MSNBC Newsweek,
29 June 2025
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The key drivers are BGE’s soaring spending and profits and poor management by PJM Interconnection, the private entity that operates our electric grid.—
Emily Scarr,
Baltimore Sun,
29 June 2025
Adjective
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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
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In your garden, stink bugs can be a real bad problem...—
Steve Bender,
Southern Living,
28 June 2025
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Overall, the recent western drought was at its worst in late 2021, when nearly 94% of the West was in drought, before easing in 2023-24.—
Doyle Rice,
USA Today,
28 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Deficient.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/deficient. Accessed 9 Jul. 2025.
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