as in shortages
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
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Recent Examples of lacks
Caroline Ernst, USA Today, 9 Apr. 2026
As of Wednesday, firearms dealers are required under state law to use scanners that pull the prospective purchaser’s name, date of birth and other details from the card’s magnetic strip, which the new design lacks — except if they are authorized otherwise.
—Madison Smalstig, Sacbee.com, 25 Feb. 2026
Each provides amino acids that the other lacks, so eating them together gives you all the essential amino acids.
—Merve Ceylan, Health, 27 Jan. 2026
Economic theory would suggest that the best place to make a major investment such as a STAR bond would be in a place that has low, or lacks, economic activity.
—Sofi Zeman
january 21, Kansas City Star, 21 Jan. 2026
The 6-2, 2-00-pounder lacks experience but does boast ideal length and versatility and currently projects as a late-round selection or free agent.
—Thomas Jones, Austin American Statesman, 16 Dec. 2025
So Vegas has to hope that their forward depth is strong enough to balance out where their star power lacks, relative to other contenders.
—The Athletic Nhl, New York Times, 2 Oct. 2025
This absence — of God, of love, of plain community spirit — is a metaphor for the whole parish, where everyone is defined by their own lacks and deficiencies, the weaknesses that cause Wicks to despise them and vow to bring down them all.
—Damon Wise, Deadline, 6 Sep. 2025
But Davies’s film has a patience and lightness of touch that Scorsese’s lacks, as well as a note-perfect lead in Gillian Anderson.
—Elle Carroll, Vulture, 11 Aug. 2025
Noun
Cinch doesn't have many add-on options available, which means customization lacks.
—Caroline Ernst, USA Today, 9 Apr. 2026
As of Wednesday, firearms dealers are required under state law to use scanners that pull the prospective purchaser’s name, date of birth and other details from the card’s magnetic strip, which the new design lacks — except if they are authorized otherwise.
—Madison Smalstig, Sacbee.com, 25 Feb. 2026
Each provides amino acids that the other lacks, so eating them together gives you all the essential amino acids.
—Merve Ceylan, Health, 27 Jan. 2026
Economic theory would suggest that the best place to make a major investment such as a STAR bond would be in a place that has low, or lacks, economic activity.
—Sofi Zeman
january 21, Kansas City Star, 21 Jan. 2026
The 6-2, 2-00-pounder lacks experience but does boast ideal length and versatility and currently projects as a late-round selection or free agent.
—Thomas Jones, Austin American Statesman, 16 Dec. 2025
So Vegas has to hope that their forward depth is strong enough to balance out where their star power lacks, relative to other contenders.
—The Athletic Nhl, New York Times, 2 Oct. 2025
This absence — of God, of love, of plain community spirit — is a metaphor for the whole parish, where everyone is defined by their own lacks and deficiencies, the weaknesses that cause Wicks to despise them and vow to bring down them all.
—Damon Wise, Deadline, 6 Sep. 2025
But Davies’s film has a patience and lightness of touch that Scorsese’s lacks, as well as a note-perfect lead in Gillian Anderson.
—Elle Carroll, Vulture, 11 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for lacks
Noun
-
Because of the war, petroleum shortages have led to jacked up prices at the gas pump, and that has grabbed everyone’s attention.—
Dave Trecker,
The Orlando Sentinel,
19 Apr. 2026
-
California’s housing prices, shortages and challenges are the result of decades of overreach at all levels of state and local government.—
Eliza Terziev,
Oc Register,
19 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
The author insists there was no bigger fan of the Jackson children and the Jackson 5 than Joseph, whose main goal in forming the group in the first place was to protect them.—
Staff Author,
PEOPLE,
24 Apr. 2026
-
But Grindr insists this isn’t going to be a gay rave.—
Tara Palmeri,
Vanity Fair,
24 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
The war also revealed deficiencies in Russia’s conventional ground and air forces.—
Stephen Clark,
ArsTechnica,
23 Apr. 2026
-
An inspector also noted physical deficiencies like equipment in need of repair.—
Lillie Davidson,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
23 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Fingal, a more scholarly type, begs to differ.—
Christopher Arnott,
Hartford Courant,
21 Apr. 2026
-
But Caitlin begs Vix to come to her wedding, to be her maid of honor.—
Peter White,
Deadline,
21 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
While Kiawah Beachwalker Park and Freshfields Village are open to the public, access to the rest of the island requires a renter’s, owner’s, or owner’s guest pass, or a dining, golf, or hotel reservation.—
Lydia Mansel,
Travel + Leisure,
25 Apr. 2026
-
Protecting water resources requires collaboration between policymakers, utilities and innovators.—
Steve Adelstein,
The Orlando Sentinel,
25 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Sweeney asks in the commercial, posing in denim shorts against a blue sky backdrop, while smiling and playing with her hair.—
Shad Powers,
USA Today,
25 Apr. 2026
-
Feeling understood is comforting, but leadership asks something different from us.—
Jonathan Alpert OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
25 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Shrinking lake ice exacts its price Depending on how much greenhouse gases warm the planet in the coming years, the average lake could lose up to 10 to 28 days of ice cover by the end of the century, says Sapna Sharma, a global change biologist at York University in Canada.—
Berly McCoy,
NPR,
2 Mar. 2026
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Colonialization exacts a heavy toll.—
Taylor Crumpton,
Time,
10 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Another approach involves what are called generalized or off-the-shelf vaccines, that are not tailored to each individual patient.—
Caleb Hellerman,
CNN Money,
20 Apr. 2026
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Each of the more than 70 eligibility cases involves an athlete who seeks to play past their NCAA eligibility, which is generally limited to four seasons of play within five years.—
Michael McCann,
Sportico.com,
20 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Lacks.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/lacks. Accessed 26 Apr. 2026.
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