deficiency

noun

di-ˈfi-shən-sē How to pronounce deficiency (audio)
Definition of deficiencynext
as in shortage
a falling short of an essential or desirable amount or number there is a deficiency of fresh food in the diet of many of the working poor

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 deficiency Oftentimes, league bottom feeders are bottom feeders for a reason … ineffective coaching, talent deficiency, front office mismanagement, etc. — Jim Reineking, USA Today, 29 June 2026 Trading Vincent Trocheck to Utah opens a hole at center, but the addition of winger Pavel Dorofeyev makes up for a talent deficiency up front enough to say the Rangers got better. — ABC News, 2 July 2026 Addressing this critical roster deficiency is paramount for Cleveland to enhance their run production and overall competitiveness, though securing these upgrades will likely involve complex trade negotiations. — Bernie Pleskoff, Forbes.com, 2 July 2026 Other passages in Genesis Rabbah read Lot’s separation from Abraham as a sign of moral deficiency and covenantal distance, the latter underscored by God’s speaking to Abraham only after Lot’s departure. — Encyclopedia Britannica, 2 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for deficiency
Recent Examples of Synonyms for deficiency
  1. shortage
  2. lack
Noun
  • The divergence is over whether the worker shortage is improving slowly or still getting worse, and what the Supreme Court should do about it.
    — Sonja Sharp, Los Angeles Times, 6 July 2026
  • Lights had been switched off to conserve electricity amid fuel shortages that have gripped Cuba since the beginning of the year.
    — Romina Ruiz-Goiriena, USA Today, 6 July 2026
Definition of shortage
Noun
  • Keli Gonzalez, a painter the museum commissioned, became frustrated by the lack of female representation.
    — Karissa Waddick, USA Today, 3 July 2026
  • The lack of a World Cup title is the one gap on his historic résumé.
    — Ashley Mowreader, NBC news, 3 July 2026
Definition of lack

Browse Nearby Words

deficiencies
deficiency
deficient
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Cite this Entry

“Deficiency.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/deficiency. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on deficiency

Nglish: Translation of deficiency for Spanish Speakers

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