lacking 1 of 2

adjective

1
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
2
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
Illinois already ranks among the states with the highest property taxes in the nation, yet substantive efforts to relieve this burden remain entirely lacking. — Chicago Tribune, 14 Oct. 2026 The Detroit Free Press and other Michigan- and national-based media organizations have said the claims are misleading or lacking context. — Barnini Chakraborty, The Washington Examiner, 9 Oct. 2026 But concrete evidence of Clark fans acting in a hateful manner — at least in real time — is severely lacking. — Matt Calkins Outkick, FOXNews.com, 19 Sep. 2026 With access from both the east and west sides of the campus, the museum’s park creates a pedestrian connection between Vermont Avenue to the west and the rest of Exposition Park to the east, which was previously lacking. — Christina Merino, Daily News, 2 Sep. 2026 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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for lacking
  1. insufficient
  2. absent
  3. begging
  4. scarce
  5. missing
  6. asking
  7. inadequate
  8. insisting
Adjective
  • The report also noted that insufficient demand for recycled textiles presents an additional challenge, since recyclers aren’t likely to scale their efforts without a market for the recycled product.
    — Jennifer Bringle, Footwear News, 22 Oct. 2026
  • For her family, protections put in place before the violence proved insufficient.
    — Ariella Noveck, FOXNews.com, 22 Oct. 2026
Definition of insufficient
Adjective
  • The program has been under consideration for some time, Fujitsu says, and its aim is not to pin down what women bring to animation that was previously absent.
    — Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 26 Oct. 2026
  • Most notably, Gershman has been absent, having fought to be able to hold an instrument or pick up his son again after a debilitating battle with long COVID and resulting autoimmune disease.
    — Leena Tailor, SPIN, 23 Oct. 2026
Definition of absent
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 begging
Adjective
  • Dire situation in Oleshky Food and medical supplies have been scarce for months in Oleshky, which sits on the Dnipro River that separates Ukrainian forces from the city’s Russian occupiers.
    — ben Finley, Los Angeles Times, 23 Oct. 2026
  • Huang said that the allocation of energy — which is scarce in the region — to companies like Nebius and Mistral is crucial for their growth.
    — Sawdah Bhaimiya, CNBC, 22 Oct. 2026
Definition of scarce
Adjective
  • So still searching for a first win, while also moving on to, seemingly, soul searching for a critical missing element.
    — Ira Winderman, Sun Sentinel, 22 Oct. 2026
  • But the whereabouts of the missing Del Paso Boulevard landmark remain unknown, police officials said Thursday at department headquarters.
    — Darrell Smith, Sacbee.com, 22 Oct. 2026
Definition of missing
Verb
  • After the shooting took place, the university issued a statement on X asking members of its campus community to stay away from the area.
    — Samantha Cookinham, NBC news, 25 Oct. 2026
  • The neurologist emphasized that patients should feel comfortable asking questions and getting a second opinion.
    — Melissa Rudy, FOXNews.com, 24 Oct. 2026
Definition of asking
Adjective
  • Some experts believe this is a good start, but many see it as wholly inadequate.
    — Allison Parshall, Scientific American, 20 Oct. 2026
  • California officials dispute the federal approach, saying the government did not provide the evidence or methodology needed to assess the list and gave the state an inadequate deadline.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 20 Oct. 2026
Definition of inadequate
Verb
  • In a 2024 interview with TIME, Netanyahu denied making the statement, insisting that the payments were meant to prevent a humanitarian catastrophe.
    — Eric Cortellessa, Time, 18 Oct. 2026
  • Embracing uncertainty does not mean ignoring danger, suppressing disappointment or insisting that every setback is positive.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 17 Oct. 2026
Definition of insisting

Browse Nearby Words

lackeys
lacking
lackluster
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Cite this Entry

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

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