1
as in insufficient
not coming up to an expected measure or meeting a particular need
we felt the afternoon television offerings were somewhat lacking in entertainment value
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in absent
not present or in evidence
for the moment anyway, wood for the fireplace is lacking
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of lacking
Cayla Bamberger, New York Daily News, 11 June 2026
Coaches and teammates have struggled to remain in contact with him, and AIyuk’s rare social media posts have been both cryptic and lacking clues about his football ambitions.
—Caelyn Pender, Mercury News, 3 June 2026
Maresca’s raw qualifications, however, are somewhat lacking.
—Graham Ruthven, Forbes.com, 22 May 2026
Not just any type of bus, but a marshrutka—a crowded, rumbling, claustrophobic Soviet holdover minibus, solidly built with steel girding and equally lacking in shock absorbers and seat padding.
—Irene Zabytko
may 7, Literary Hub, 7 May 2026
So many young players come up the ranks lacking game management.
—Pierre Lebrun, New York Times, 7 May 2026
The detainees—from Pakistan, India, Nigeria, Bangladesh, Myanmar and eight other nations—were found in restricted compounds, some lacking passports or proper immigration documentation.
—Rodney Muhumuza, Los Angeles Times, 28 Apr. 2026
If your yard is a bit lacking in colorful birds, adding a feeder can help attract all sorts of them.
—Brittany Vanderbill, Better Homes & Gardens, 14 Apr. 2026
But the upper frequencies are still slightly lacking.
—Mark Knapp, PC Magazine, 30 Mar. 2026
Adjective
Of those lacking space, dozens of schools have a solution in place — such as an annex that’s already planned, a capital project that’s already sited, or excess space in a building with several schools that can be reallocated — according to the plan.
—Cayla Bamberger, New York Daily News, 11 June 2026
Coaches and teammates have struggled to remain in contact with him, and AIyuk’s rare social media posts have been both cryptic and lacking clues about his football ambitions.
—Caelyn Pender, Mercury News, 3 June 2026
Maresca’s raw qualifications, however, are somewhat lacking.
—Graham Ruthven, Forbes.com, 22 May 2026
Not just any type of bus, but a marshrutka—a crowded, rumbling, claustrophobic Soviet holdover minibus, solidly built with steel girding and equally lacking in shock absorbers and seat padding.
—Irene Zabytko
may 7, Literary Hub, 7 May 2026
So many young players come up the ranks lacking game management.
—Pierre Lebrun, New York Times, 7 May 2026
The detainees—from Pakistan, India, Nigeria, Bangladesh, Myanmar and eight other nations—were found in restricted compounds, some lacking passports or proper immigration documentation.
—Rodney Muhumuza, Los Angeles Times, 28 Apr. 2026
If your yard is a bit lacking in colorful birds, adding a feeder can help attract all sorts of them.
—Brittany Vanderbill, Better Homes & Gardens, 14 Apr. 2026
But the upper frequencies are still slightly lacking.
—Mark Knapp, PC Magazine, 30 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for lacking
Adjective
-
Diving a little deeper, men outpace women, and insufficient sleep is particularly prevalent among older adults aged 45 to 64.—
Sharon Brandwein,
USA Today,
19 June 2026
-
For instance, a patient may arrive at the hospital only to find insufficient physician coverage.—
Jocelyn Mitchell-Williams,
STAT,
19 June 2026
Adjective
-
This comes after Scott was notably absent from the Chronicle of Philanthropy’s list of the top 50 donors of the year.—
Allison DeGrushe,
StyleCaster,
14 June 2026
-
Performances are scheduled throughout June and July, giving both residents and World Cup visitors opportunities to experience a story that remains largely absent from mainstream history books.—
J.M. Banks
June 13,
Kansas City Star,
13 June 2026
Verb
-
Stuffed with a bacon-cream cheese filling, these poppers are begging to make an appearance this Fourth of July.—
Lisa Cericola,
Southern Living,
20 June 2026
-
Setting the factory ablaze and escaping, Naim pauses for a minute when the Ryan-like monster appears at a window, begging to be released and claiming to be the human-being.—
Arushi Jacob,
Variety,
19 June 2026
Adjective
-
And resources will only get more scarce as pressure builds to cut costs and benefits in a tight job market.—
Jessica Guynn,
USA Today,
14 June 2026
-
Japan's school lunch program was actually started after World War II, when the country was shattered and food was scarce.—
Adam Yamaguchi,
CBS News,
14 June 2026
Adjective
-
Somewhere in the middle of this Los Angeles neo-noir, Colin Farrell’s quiet, well-dressed, cinema-loving private eye was revealed to be a blue-skinned alien — then the show just kept going, missing-persons mystery intact.—
Savannah Salazar,
Vulture,
19 June 2026
-
When resort employee Celia (Victoria Kantch) goes missing, the show doesn’t investigate her disappearance through the lens of law enforcement or even her own father, who manages the resort.—
Alison Herman,
Variety,
19 June 2026
Verb
-
Birding has gone fully mainstream in 2026, and millions of new converts are asking the same beginner questions.—
Hanna Wickes,
Kansas City Star,
18 June 2026
-
County staff, led by planning director Todd Smith, gave an extensive presentation during Tuesday’s meeting with supervisors periodically asking questions.—
Graham Womack,
Sacbee.com,
17 June 2026
Adjective
-
Eligibility to live in the development is open to those who don’t own a home or who live in inadequate housing.—
Kamal Morgan,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
18 June 2026
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But Moreno said her rec centers have huge needs, citing the lack of a scoreboard at Montgomery-Waller and inadequate dugouts at Memorial’s ballpark.—
David Garrick,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
18 June 2026
Verb
-
New Delhi, however, rejected the claim, insisting the ceasefire was the result of direct bilateral talks with Pakistan.—
Kyra Colah,
FOXNews.com,
18 June 2026
-
The result, while admirably considered, is almost comically misjudged — like insisting Paddington the bear sits on a throne of lies.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
17 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Lacking.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/lacking. Accessed 22 Jun. 2026.
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