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lacking

lacking

1.8
Not having enough of something needed to do well
  • adjective
  • /ˈlækɪŋ/
translation icon : insuficiente
  • So what we're lacking is leadership across the board.

Yeah, these are like not lacking in pigment whatsoever.

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Examples

  • So the evidence in resource poor countries is lacking, first of all.

  • And they said they were lacking in grace, without any style at all.

  • That's that's what's lacking in the Western church today.

  • And they're, they're lacking an incentive to try very hard.

  • The report shows that the team is lacking several important resources.

  • Many students in the class are lacking a basic understanding of math.

  • He realized that he was lacking the motivation to complete his project.

Synonyms

poor
vslacking
838 1.0

Not good enough in quality or amount

refers mainly to too little amount or degree without judgment
inadequate
vslacking
118 4.4

Not enough or not good enough to do what is needed

focuses on amount or degree rather than failing a purpose
insufficient
vslacking
86 3.6

Not enough in amount or quality to meet a need

is a broader state of too little amount or degree, not a specific failure
devoid
vslacking
  • Formal
52 5.5

Completely without something that is usual or expected

means there is too little rather than a total absence
deficient
vslacking
35 4.3

Not having enough of something needed

is a general shortage that does not stress essential absence
wanting
vslacking
4.4

Not good enough because it is missing something important

stresses simple shortage in amount or degree, not missing parts

Antonyms

447 2.8

Enough to do what is needed

104 3.7

More than enough for what is needed

Compounds

Not giving much detail or careful thought

How Adequate

abundant
77 3.0
ample
104 3.7
sufficient
447 2.8
adequate
234 2.7
lacking
1.8
insufficient
86 3.6

Surface Forms

lacking positive

Morphology

lacking = lack (transparent) = lack + ing

The insufficiency sense ('not having enough') is a direct extension of 'lack' with the suffix '-ing' and is predictable from the base.

Etymology

Lacking comes from the old word lack meaning 'to be without' or 'to be less'. So when something is lacking, there is 'not enough' of it.