lacking

American  

[lak-ing] / ˈlæk ɪŋ /

preposition

1. being without; not having; wanting; less.

   Lacking equipment, the laboratory couldn't undertake the research project.

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adjective

1. wanting; deficient.

   He was found lacking in stamina.

Etymology

Origin of lacking

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English; lack + -ing ²

Explanation

If something's lacking, there's not enough of it. Your new house may be lacking when it comes to comfortable chairs, leading your friends to lounge on the floor instead. If there's a shortage of something, it's lacking. You might also describe something that's deficient — or not quite good enough — as lacking. If a substitute teacher is lacking in skill when it comes to controlling a rowdy class, he'll be exhausted by the end of his first day on the job. Finally, you can use this word in the sense of "absent": If your older brother's appetite is lacking, he might be coming down with something — usually he can eat an entire pizza on his own.

Example Sentences

Lacking options, many displaced people therefore have to find relatives who can host them or pay exorbitant rents to landlords, explained Fadi Al-Halabi, executive director in Lebanon of the Ecumenical Disability Advocates Network.

From Barron's • Mar. 31, 2026

Lacking any of Semple’s antic humor, the manuscript was scrapped.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 30, 2026

Lacking both the respect of the clergy and Khomeini's personal popularity, the new supreme leader moved cautiously to build his own power base.

From BBC • Feb. 28, 2026

Lacking a major “Thrones” character or house name to sell it, this six-part excursion about a nobody isn’t an obvious must-see.

From Salon • Jan. 17, 2026

Lacking such technology, Atahuallpa did not expand overseas out of South America.

From "Guns, Germs, and Steel: The Fates of Human Societies" by Jared M. Diamond

Related Words

• flawed
• inadequate
• incomplete