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
Michael-Shawn Dugar, New York Times, 25 Apr. 2026
Industrial composting sites—big, regionalized facilities that can churn out large volumes of organic waste—are designed to speed up the composting process using heat, moisture, and carbon control, things that a simple countertop compost container lacks.
—Francesca Krempa, Bon Appetit Magazine, 23 Apr. 2026
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
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
Noun
Dipping into 2027 draft capital to make a fifth-round selection in a draft that Schneider has repeatedly said lacks depth is a surprising move.
—Michael-Shawn Dugar, New York Times, 25 Apr. 2026
Industrial composting sites—big, regionalized facilities that can churn out large volumes of organic waste—are designed to speed up the composting process using heat, moisture, and carbon control, things that a simple countertop compost container lacks.
—Francesca Krempa, Bon Appetit Magazine, 23 Apr. 2026
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
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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for lacks
Noun
-
But the shortages of Patriot defense systems remain a concern amid reports that the Pentagon is considering diverting advanced defensive weapons earmarked for Ukraine to the Middle East.—
Sudarsan Raghavan,
New Yorker,
28 Apr. 2026
-
In 2022, my final year in office, Russia’s invasion of Ukraine sent fertilizer prices surging several-fold, and farmers across Central America—and around the world—saw production costs spike almost overnight, raising fears of food shortages.—
Carlos Alvarado Quesada,
Fortune,
27 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
While pomegranates don’t grow true to seed, Fritz insists the genetic gamble is worth it.—
Rachel Silva,
Martha Stewart,
1 May 2026
-
Wilson insists that MacInnes told her that an incident in September 2023, during which MacInnes and Ghost shared a bath in swimsuits, had made the young actress uncomfortable.—
Jake Kanter,
Deadline,
1 May 2026
Noun
-
But his athletic deficiencies could be tough to overcome.—
Barry Jackson,
Miami Herald,
30 Apr. 2026
-
Britt Eastland said Camp Mystic would correct those deficiencies soon and has made several other safety changes.—
Ashley Killough,
CNN Money,
29 Apr. 2026
Verb
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But, more than any of her daring work in lesser movies, the question begs, for what?—
Chris Feil,
Vulture,
1 May 2026
-
Fingal, a more scholarly type, begs to differ.—
Christopher Arnott,
Hartford Courant,
21 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Protecting these landmarks requires collaboration among civic leaders, developers, property owners, architects, preservationists and engaged citizens.—
Chicago Tribune,
Chicago Tribune,
2 May 2026
-
Black spot requires six to seven hours of continuous moisture to initiate infection.—
Rita Perwich,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
2 May 2026
Verb
-
Bias asks whether the system perpetuates, amplifies, or introduces systematic disadvantage, including through feedback loops where biased outputs reinforce biased inputs.—
Jeffrey Sonnenfeld,
Fortune,
2 May 2026
-
Finishing School is a column in which Mary Norris, The New Yorker’s Comma Queen, asks the eternal questions—Are you supposed to take the toothpick out of the sandwich or eat around it?—
Mary Norris,
New Yorker,
1 May 2026
Verb
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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
-
Colonialization exacts a heavy toll.—
Taylor Crumpton,
Time,
10 Feb. 2026
Verb
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The case involves 4th Amendment protection against unreasonable searches.—
Devin Dwyer,
ABC News,
27 Apr. 2026
-
Whether a case involves a rear-end collision, a slip-and-fall claim, a family petition, or a removal issue, the underlying standard is similar.—
Connie Etemadi,
USA Today,
27 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Lacks.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/lacks. Accessed 4 May. 2026.
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