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
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of lack
Annie Ma, Chicago Tribune, 11 July 2025
Alaska Native people living along the shores of the Bering Sea worry increasing shipping and resource extraction pose environmental dangers, especially if the Coast Guard lacks the resources to patrol the area.
—Trevor Hughes, USA Today, 10 July 2025
New Atlas, 12 July 2025
The hesitancy from his end will probably come from a lack of playing time.
—Tom Rende, Forbes.com, 11 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for lack
Noun
The move is part of a broad effort to limit access to federal benefits for immigrants who lack legal status.
—Annie Ma, Chicago Tribune, 11 July 2025
Alaska Native people living along the shores of the Bering Sea worry increasing shipping and resource extraction pose environmental dangers, especially if the Coast Guard lacks the resources to patrol the area.
—Trevor Hughes, USA Today, 10 July 2025
Verb
As a result, the carbon dioxide isn't replenished and, along with other mechanisms like the solar winds and the lack of magnetic field, the result was a feedback process that bled off more and more of the atmosphere as more and more of the carbon dioxide was sealed in the minerals.
—New Atlas, 12 July 2025
The hesitancy from his end will probably come from a lack of playing time.
—Tom Rende, Forbes.com, 11 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for lack
Recent Examples of Synonyms for lack
Noun
-
New York played a small starting unit with Stewart at center to account for the absence of Jonquel Jones.—
Kilty Cleary,
MSNBC Newsweek,
6 July 2025
-
After her first two England camps in charge in September 2021, Wiegman — in the absence of former England captain Steph Houghton — handed Williamson the armband.—
Charlotte Harpur,
New York Times,
5 July 2025
Noun
-
Meanwhile, Californians feel the effects of the shortage of at least 3 million homes in their pocketbooks.—
Laura Friedman,
Oc Register,
7 July 2025
-
These impacts have been felt profoundly with more destructive fires, intense water shortages and flooding in California as well as in many other parts of the world.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
6 July 2025
Noun
-
An argument long debated in the courts is whether air conditioning goes beyond basic needs, since everyday citizens aren't guaranteed air conditioning in their homes.—
Natalie Eilbert,
jsonline.com,
9 July 2025
-
Those with insufficient insurance or none at all will rely heavily on FEMA’s Individual Assistance program, which supports survivors with needs like temporary housing and home repairs.—
Orianna Rosa Royle,
Fortune,
9 July 2025
Noun
-
If the deficiency is prolonged, the plant may stop flowering and fruiting altogether.—
Lauren Landers,
Better Homes & Gardens,
7 July 2025
-
The issue was also declared a significant deficiency in 2020, and Wyandotte officials pledged to begin implementing a residential protection program.—
Keith Matheny,
Freep.com,
5 July 2025
Verb
-
When all 16 of her campers and her co-counselors were safely accounted for at the pavilion, Ainslie heard campers from another cabin — one that housed some of the camp’s youngest children — begging for help.—
Toria Sheffield,
People.com,
12 July 2025
-
But when Dexter relapsed back into killing and exposed his son to the family trade, the homecoming turned sour and Dexter begged his kid to shoot him–– and Harrison obliged.—
Hunter Ingram,
Variety,
11 July 2025
Verb
-
Fastow started by going door to door to dozens of insurance brokers in San Francisco and asking them about their pain points and most time consuming tasks.—
Josipa Majic Predin,
Forbes.com,
14 July 2025
-
He was regularly asked about his access to national defense information, prosecutors said.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
14 July 2025
Verb
-
The child is nudged forward by an ambitious parent, by an influential teacher, or simply by a curiosity that, like water, insists on finding its way in and out.—
James Wood,
New Yorker,
14 July 2025
-
Trump, in his social media post, insisted that his administration is achieving success and shouldn't get sidetracked by this.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
14 July 2025
Verb
-
But restricting kids from encountering tricky movement problems, such as racing at full speed down a rocky slope or climbing high in a tree, can exact a toll.—
Henry Abbott,
The Atlantic,
12 July 2025
-
Based on Jules Verne’s Twenty Thousand Leagues Under The Sea, Nautilus follows Nemo’s mission to exact revenge on the East India Mercantile Company, and goes on a raucous adventure beneath the sea in the process.—
Erik Kain,
Forbes.com,
12 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Lack.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/lack. Accessed 21 Jul. 2025.
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