Synonyms of deficit

deficit

noun

ˈde-fə-sət 

as in shortage

a falling short of an essential or desirable amount or number

a growing deficit in the number of hours devoted to sleep

Synonyms & Similar Words

• shortage
• lack
• deficiency
• drought
• poverty
• scarcity
• famine
• insufficiency
• inadequacy
• absence
• paucity
• crunch
• lacuna
• undersupply
• failure
• inadequateness
• pinch
• dearth
• scantiness
• omission
• scarceness
• want
• necessity
• meagerness
• privation
• skimpiness
• need
• poorness

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• amplitude
• adequacy
• wealth
• abundance
• sufficiency
• plenty
• opulence
• surplus
• plenitude
• excess
• oversupply
• overabundance
• surfeit
• copiousness
• bountifulness

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of deficit

Without Richardson and Penda, the Magic needed an additional two minutes of action to overcome a double-digit deficit and secure a second consecutive Summer League victory, 112-105, against the Trail Blazers. — Jason Beede, The Orlando Sentinel, 13 July 2026

With the Ball Hogs facing a daunting 26-17 halftime deficit against the Riot, Pargo took over and rained down multiple long-distance buckets to completely turn the game on its head. — Juan Carlos Blanco, Forbes.com, 12 July 2026

The 7-foot-1, 255-pound, 25-year-old native of Alexandria, Virginia, put up six 3s, hitting three, which proved important in New Orleans rallying from an 18-point deficit. — Gary Bedore, Kansas City Star, 12 July 2026

Other research pointed in the same direction, and by 2008, Falk and other exercise physiologists were arguing against the status-quo assumption that kids had some major natural deficits in thermoregulation. — Daniel Engber, The Atlantic, 11 July 2026