Synonyms

lacking

American

[lak-ing] / ˈlæk ɪŋ /

preposition

being without; not having; wanting; less.

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

adjective

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.

An Ireland performance that was described by their head coach Andy Farrell as lacking "intent" continued a number of worrying trends from both the autumn and prior.

From BBC

“Maybe our buildings are lacking in originality,” Pa admitted.

From Literature

Meanwhile ordinary people, lacking the specialized knowledge to draw their own conclusions, feel cowed into going along with it all.

From The Wall Street Journal

I wasn’t lacking in ambition, but it was going to take plain luck to make it in this place.

From Literature

What would be really valuable is if these private, high-cost, higher-learning institutions partner and brand themselves with two-year trade schools to create even better, accredited programs for the trades—which are sorely lacking today.

From The Wall Street Journal

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