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Synonyms

lacking

American  
[lak-ing] / ˈlæk ɪŋ /

preposition

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

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

adjective

  1. wanting; deficient.

    He was found lacking in stamina.

Etymology

Origin of lacking

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

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Public transport meanwhile is shambolic, with most commercial vehicles dilapidated and lacking working air conditioning.

From Barron's • Apr. 8, 2026

Cervantes accuses officers of pushing forward with an arrest despite lacking probable cause and building a case against her based on false statements.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 7, 2026

That alignment is something else that appears to be lacking at Spurs.

From BBC • Apr. 3, 2026

Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney criticized the airline CEO for lacking compassion and judgment in delivering an unilingual English message.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 30, 2026

Sound evidence for the existence of human differences in intelligence that parallel human differences in technology is lacking.

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

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.