lack 1 of 2

noun

Definition of lacknext
1
as in absence
the fact or state of being absent the lack of news about the fate of the soldiers was frustrating

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in shortage
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

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in need
a state of being without something necessary, desirable, or useful the lack of fresh water at the campsite definitely would be a problem

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

lack

2 of 2

verb

as in to hurt (for)

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 lack
Noun
Because of the lack of identification, the person was enrolled in an online program. — Wcco Staff, CBS News, 22 Oct. 2026 But the big mistake, ironically, was the ACA’s lack of focus on affordability. — Dana P. Goldman, STAT, 22 Oct. 2026
Verb
Survivorship care also draws on clinicians with different areas of expertise, and some hospitals and treatment centers may lack enough dedicated staff time to provide a full range of services. — Marci Lee Nilsen, The Conversation, 22 Oct. 2026 Television doesn’t lack for comedies that deliver biting satire and cogent commentary — that are, in fact, so committed to commentary that nobody bothers to even include jokes. — Daniel Fienberg, HollywoodReporter, 22 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for lack
Recent Examples of Synonyms for lack
  1. absence
  2. shortage
  3. need
  4. beg
  5. deficiency
  6. ask
  7. insist
  8. exact
Noun
  • Unexcused absences in three consecutive elections freeze tax IDs, block nonvoters from applying to state jobs, hinders loans from state banks, and delays the issuance of passports.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 25 Oct. 2026
  • The Panthers spent a first-round draft pick on tackle Monroe Freeling this year, who started in Moton’s absence the first few games of 2026.
    — Alex Zietlow, Charlotte Observer, 25 Oct. 2026
Definition of absence
Noun
  • The bigger issue, Chesky argues, is a shortage of new construction.
    — Andrew Edgecliffe-Johnson, semafor.com, 23 Oct. 2026
  • Recently, anger at this collateral damage, heightened by the fish shortage, has evolved into a political movement.
    — Zach Helfand, New Yorker, 23 Oct. 2026
Definition of shortage
Noun
  • Start with the community With a pragmatic and fair approach, data center infrastructure can operate from a combination of baseload fuels, battery storage, and renewables, while prioritizing community needs and impacts.
    — Neil Chatterjee, Fortune, 23 Oct. 2026
  • Rather than as a one-time session, our survivorship clinic builds relationships with survivors, supporting them as their needs change over time.
    — Marci Lee Nilsen, The Conversation, 22 Oct. 2026
Definition of need
Verb
  • Video on social media showed distressed shopkeepers begging young men to stop stealing their inventory—and those young men pushing them aside to grab shoes and food from their shelves.
    — Jim Edwards, Fortune, 20 Oct. 2026
  • So your group chat has been begging you to host the next big viewing night, and your bank account is giving you side-eye.
    — Lauren Schuster, Miami Herald, 19 Oct. 2026
Definition of beg
Noun
  • The coaster’s most recent inspection, on March 16, reported no violations, deficiencies, citations or red tags, according to King.
    — Alaa Elassar, CNN Money, 24 Oct. 2026
  • Other diseases that cause similar symptoms and findings include lupus, Lyme disease, fibromyalgia, vitamin B12 deficiency, and less common conditions like neuromyelitis optica and MOG antibody disease.
    — Lindsay Karp, STAT, 23 Oct. 2026
Definition of deficiency
Verb
  • The person asked a mutual contact to warn Rosman, according to three people familiar with that exchange.
    — Ben Smith, semafor.com, 26 Oct. 2026
  • Attendees asked engineers to provide preliminary cost estimates for street lighting running from the stadium connection north to Swepco Road.
    — Randy Moll, Arkansas Online, 26 Oct. 2026
Definition of ask
Verb
  • The administration insists its strategy of inflicting economic pain is working.
    — Lauren Morganbesser, semafor.com, 23 Oct. 2026
  • Putin has long insisted that Ukraine’s Zaporizhzhia, Kherson, Donetsk and Luhansk regions, which Russia has tried — and failed — to fully capture over more than four years of war have always been Russian.
    — Catherine Belton, Washington Post, 23 Oct. 2026
Definition of insist
Verb
  • From Tuesday through Saturday, he can still be found in the kitchen in full effect, ensuring every meal meets his exacting standards.
    — Michael Deeds, Idaho Statesman, 21 Oct. 2026
  • Charles Jencks, the late American cultural theorist and a famously exacting critic, saw in its flowing forms both sensuality and an important new direction for architecture.
    — Robb Report, Robb Report, 9 Oct. 2026
Definition of exact

Browse Nearby Words

lacings
lack
lackadaisical
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Cite this Entry

“Lack.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/lack. Accessed 27 Oct. 2026.

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