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
Benjamin Laker, Forbes.com, 26 Jan. 2026
Nothing undermines success like a lack of stability, and of course, a lacking quarterback.
—Troy Renck, Denver Post, 9 Jan. 2026
These are all signs of a lacking musclespan, whereas not noticing any difficulties in everyday tasks suggests a stronger trajectory.
—Erica Sloan, SELF, 11 Dec. 2025
Instead, safety measures, staffing and medical training were all lacking.
—Phaedra Trethan, USA Today, 4 Dec. 2025
But Wild coach John Hynes noted in training camp that Jiricek’s decision making in the heat of the battle in the defensive zone is sometimes lacking.
—Jess Myers, Twin Cities, 27 Oct. 2025
With a severly lacking ability to go for big plays on both offense and defense, former NFL quarterback Chris Simms belives the Bills will not be able to compete in the AFC in 2025.
—James Brizuela, MSNBC Newsweek, 20 Oct. 2025
Even well into the 1930s, America’s defense machinery was woefully lacking, especially in the critical transport of material and personnel.
—Robert Ross, Robb Report, 17 Oct. 2025
And every year is subject to the quality of the free-agent class, and 2021’s starting pitching market was especially lacking.
—Will Sammon, New York Times, 10 Oct. 2025
Adjective
Someone who speaks too directly is described as intense or lacking polish.
—Benjamin Laker, Forbes.com, 26 Jan. 2026
Nothing undermines success like a lack of stability, and of course, a lacking quarterback.
—Troy Renck, Denver Post, 9 Jan. 2026
These are all signs of a lacking musclespan, whereas not noticing any difficulties in everyday tasks suggests a stronger trajectory.
—Erica Sloan, SELF, 11 Dec. 2025
Instead, safety measures, staffing and medical training were all lacking.
—Phaedra Trethan, USA Today, 4 Dec. 2025
But Wild coach John Hynes noted in training camp that Jiricek’s decision making in the heat of the battle in the defensive zone is sometimes lacking.
—Jess Myers, Twin Cities, 27 Oct. 2025
With a severly lacking ability to go for big plays on both offense and defense, former NFL quarterback Chris Simms belives the Bills will not be able to compete in the AFC in 2025.
—James Brizuela, MSNBC Newsweek, 20 Oct. 2025
Even well into the 1930s, America’s defense machinery was woefully lacking, especially in the critical transport of material and personnel.
—Robert Ross, Robb Report, 17 Oct. 2025
And every year is subject to the quality of the free-agent class, and 2021’s starting pitching market was especially lacking.
—Will Sammon, New York Times, 10 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for lacking
Adjective
-
Using only final outcomes—like edit rates or acceptance ratios—as proxies for engagement is insufficient.—
François Candelon,
Fortune,
30 Jan. 2026
-
But a federal magistrate judge in Minnesota approved charges against only three people, citing insufficient evidence that Lemon and others had conspired to deprive rights by interfering with someone’s religious freedom in a house of worship.—
Richard Winton,
Los Angeles Times,
30 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
And when Mamdani was publicly sworn in, absent was House Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries, a fellow New Yorker, who had only reluctantly endorsed the former Queens assemblyman.—
Susan Page,
USA Today,
12 Jan. 2026
-
Though some years past have been ripe with political commentary on stage, the topic was notably absent this year, with speech givers opting to shout-out their families and people inside the Globes ballroom as opposed to the weighty issues outside of it.—
Alli Rosenbloom,
CNN Money,
11 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Instead of calling and begging somebody else to change.—
Joel Feder,
The Drive,
21 Jan. 2026
-
Nearly two decades into her career, Courtney Marie Andrews remains a troubadour of singular sincerity, more interested in listening to the world than begging the world to listen.—
Lily Goldberg,
Pitchfork,
20 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
The capacity for attention on books is so scarce, more so every year.—
Fiction Non Fiction,
Literary Hub,
8 Jan. 2026
-
And the buildout is putting stress on local water resources that communities worry will cause shortages, with 160 new facilities located in areas with scarce supply, according to Bloomberg.—
Rachyl Jones,
semafor.com,
7 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
One of Charlotte’s renewable energy plants in being sued by the family of a man who fell to his death because of loose and missing guardrails, according to a lawsuit filed by his family.—
Julia Coin,
Charlotte Observer,
30 Jan. 2026
-
Then, after the various men, all potential investors in Bram’s business venture, and their sons assemble, Ginny, Bram’s assistant, goes missing.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
30 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
Contraband, misconduct, and inadequate surveillance systems round out the OIG’s familiar list of concerns.—
Walter Pavlo,
Forbes.com,
28 Jan. 2026
-
When the American-Statesman contacted the city Monday about reports of inadequate heating and food, Austin Emergency Management referred the newspaper to Gray’s Sunday comments.—
Chaya Tong,
Austin American Statesman,
27 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
This lets users keep their main work open while asking Gemini to summarize content, compare products, or organize information from multiple sites at the same time.—
Neetika Walter,
Interesting Engineering,
29 Jan. 2026
-
In 2013, David Kidd and Emanuele Castano shifted the research goal posts by asking if reading literary fiction (as opposed to non-fiction, popular fiction, or no reading) correlated with higher scores on what’s known as theory of mind.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
29 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
Previously, just one satellite in the program had reached low Earth orbit — NEONSAT-1, which flew atop an Electron in April 2024.—
Mike Wall,
Space.com,
30 Jan. 2026
-
Rieder is believed to prefer lower interest rates, a top priority for a president who wants massive rate cuts.—
Matt Egan,
CNN Money,
30 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Lacking.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/lacking. Accessed 31 Jan. 2026.
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