LACKING Synonyms: 133 Similar and Opposite Words

lacking 1 of 2

adjective

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

as in absent

not present or in evidence for the moment anyway, wood for the fireplace is lacking

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

lacking

2 of 2

verb

present participle of lack

as in begging

Related Words

Dissimilar Words

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of lacking

Adjective

Ohio's fittest cities don't rank in the national top 25, but that doesn't mean the Buckeye State is unhealthy or lacking amenities. — Alex Perry, Cincinnati Enquirer, 28 Aug. 2026 Where to Stay Ely hosts a handful of hotels and motels within town limits, but true luxury accommodations are somewhat lacking. — Stephanie Vermillion, Travel + Leisure, 18 Aug. 2026 Which is to say quality constraints on what Paramount could conceivably dump into theaters are totally lacking. — Chris Lee, Vulture, 13 Aug. 2026 So a resistance surveillance network across places where this is lacking, such as northwestern Nigeria, would bring a huge return on investment. — Christine Ro, Forbes.com, 23 July 2026 Despite severely lacking resources, the monuments men and women were able to find and retrieve more than five million items, many of them artworks that had been stolen by the Axis forces. — Encyclopedia Britannica, 14 July 2026 Rival broadcasters Channel 4 and Channel 5 — both reliant on advertising revenue and lacking Sky’s pay-TV cushion — are expected to raise competition concerns. — Scott Roxborough, HollywoodReporter, 8 July 2026 Shuffling the opposition across to make space for a switch to the far side is a viable method of attack, but that can then come at the cost of a central box presence, with Portugal lacking runners beyond the ball. — Mark Carey, New York Times, 2 July 2026 An honest review would tell you the coordination was a little lacking in this particular bit of maritime cosplay. — Ben Church, CNN Money, 23 June 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for lacking

Adjective

Prevents Calcium Deficiency That Can Reduce Bone Strength Individuals with reduced calcium absorption or insufficient dietary intake may be at risk of calcium deficiency and may require a supplement.

— Jennifer Lefton, Verywell Health, 3 Sep. 2026
But tariffs alone proved insufficient to tackle the security risks that come with Chinese monopoly power, and Washington has begun to experiment with many more tools of industrial policy.

— Chad P. Bown, Foreign Affairs, 1 Sep. 2026

Definition of insufficient

Adjective

But in some ways, all those previous games were a drumroll leading up to this one — Super Bowl LXI, in a futuristic $5-billion stadium, absent the lingering restrictions of a pandemic.

— Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 6 Sep. 2026
One notable administration figure has been largely absent from the political circuit.

— James A. Downs, The Washington Examiner, 6 Sep. 2026

Definition of absent

Verb

There was one big first-half chance that went begging, Callum Doyle’s flick-on leaving the Wales international with just goalkeeper Max Weiss to beat, but his close-range header was tipped over.

— Richard Sutcliffe, New York Times, 9 Sep. 2026
But if there was ever a time to prove McDaniel’s offensive scheme is what was needed to change things for the Chargers, this is the ultimate test for a team and fan base begging to make a run at the Vince Lombardi Trophy.

— Scott Thompson OutKick, FOXNews.com, 9 Sep. 2026

Definition of begging

Adjective

Singapore is leveraging its scarce land, energy, and population to bolster its regulatory and agenda-setting power over data centers and sustainability.

— Brian Wong, Fortune, 6 Sep. 2026
When homes are scarce and expensive, the last thing buyers need is to wonder whether some of the most coveted available inventory is effectively hidden from them.

— Tomas J. Philipson, Chicago Tribune, 6 Sep. 2026

Definition of scarce

Adjective

Rescuers have been working for days to find any survivors from the catastrophic flash floods which tore through the country last week, leaving at least 1,000 dead and thousands more missing.

— Kosh Raj Koirala, CNN Money, 5 Sep. 2026
While Barrett suggests a whole world of lore that goes unexplored, the film’s climax is completely missing in action.

— Katie Walsh, Los Angeles Times, 4 Sep. 2026

Definition of missing

Verb

Missouri is asking the Supreme Court to overturn the state Supreme Court’s blockage of a new congressional map ahead of the November general election.

— Rena Rowe, The Washington Examiner, 5 Sep. 2026
But asking whether the problem is useful is the wrong question, Verhoeff argues.

— Emma R. Hasson, Scientific American, 5 Sep. 2026

Definition of asking

Adjective

Fascism and communism are political systems designed to benefit society’s most inadequate and corrupt.

— Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 7 Sep. 2026
An independent monitor overseeing Saint Francis Hospital found that a patient died in January, the third patient death related to inadequate staffing in the hospital in the past year.

— Livi Stanford, Hartford Courant, 6 Sep. 2026

Definition of inadequate

Verb

Know More The government has, in the wake of Ruto’s comments, offered undocumented East Africans a 90-day window to regularize their status, insisting the policy is about enforcing immigration and business rules rather than targeting foreigners.

— Vivianne Wandera, semafor.com, 9 Sep. 2026
Haaretz says Netanyahu responded calmly, insisting Israel was prepared and the greater threat lay in the West Bank, while his office now brands the report an ‘absolute lie’ and rejects calls for an inquiry.

— Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 8 Sep. 2026

Definition of insisting

Browse Nearby Words

lackeys

lacking

lackluster

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“Lacking.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/lacking. Accessed 11 Sep. 2026.

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Synonyms of lacking

adjective

verb

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