Synonyms of lack

lack 1 of 2

noun

1

as in absence

the fact or state of being absent

the lack of news about the fate of the soldiers was frustrating

Synonyms & Similar Words

• absence
• shortage
• dearth
• paucity
• deficiency
• scarcity
• inadequacy
• insufficiency
• loss
• want
• necessity
• omission
• deficit
• poverty
• deprivation
• failure
• famine
• need
• meagerness
• scarceness
• skimpiness
• scantiness
• inadequateness
• undersupply
• privation
• vacuum
• scantness
• void
• needfulness
• emptiness
• blankness
• vacuity

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• presence
• abundance
• plenty
• wealth
• adequacy
• excess
• amplitude
• sufficiency
• surplus
• plenitude
• bounty
• flood
• quantity
• lot
• supply
• volume
• mass
• plentitude
• loads
• overabundance
• oversupply
• deal
• plentifulness
• deluge
• pile
• surfeit
• mountain
• stock
• superabundance
• heap
• stack
• fund
• plenteousness
• pot
• raft
• pool
• bushel
• reams
• wad
• peck
• stockpile
• gobs
• oodles
• much
• hoard
• scads
• cache
• stash

2

as in shortage

a falling short of an essential or desirable amount or number

the lack of eligible candidates for the jury kept the trial from getting started

Synonyms & Similar Words

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

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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

3

as in need

a state of being without something necessary, desirable, or useful

the lack of fresh water at the campsite definitely would be a problem

Synonyms & Similar Words

• need
• absence
• needfulness
• shortage
• paucity
• deficiency
• scarcity
• inadequacy
• insufficiency
• want
• deficit
• dearth
• defect
• poverty
• requirement
• necessity
• minus
• deprivation
• meagerness
• requisite
• scarceness
• skimpiness
• essential
• demand
• scantiness
• privation
• famishment

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• adequacy
• supply
• sufficiency
• stock
• excess
• fund
• enough
• plenty
• pool
• surplus
• fill
• overabundance
• stockpile
• surfeit
• oversupply
• hoard

lack

2 of 2

verb

as in to hurt (for)

Related Words

• hurt (for)
• beg
• ask
• insist
• cry (for)
• exact
• require
• need
• quest
• involve
• demand
• stipulate
• necessitate
• enjoin
• entail
• command
• want
• clamor (for)
• press
• challenge
• warrant
• claim
• take
• bear

Dissimilar Words

• have
• hold
• possess
• own

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of lack

Noun

Lumbering system The limited powers that the articles granted to the national government reflected the lack of consensus between states. — Donovan Fifield, The Conversation, 16 July 2026

Residents throughout the continent are suffering in the extreme heat, further exacerbated by a lack of air conditioning in some European countries. — The New York Times News Service Syndicate, San Diego Union-Tribune, 16 July 2026

Verb

Nonprofits typically are financed with donations earmarked for specific programs, meaning the agencies have money for projects but sometimes lack money for other essentials, such as equipment purchases, repairs, human resources and travel. — Andre Mouchard, Oc Register, 10 July 2026

This was thought to be because comets are ice-rich, whereas asteroids lack significant amounts of ice. — Darryl Z. Seligman, Scientific American, 10 July 2026