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Definitions

lack

[lak] / læk /
NOUN
deficiency, need
Synonyms
STRONGEST
absence dearth inadequacy loss paucity poverty reduction scarcity shortage shortcoming shortfall
STRONG
abridgement curtailment decrease default defect deficit depletion deprivation destitution distress exigency exiguity inferiority insufficiency meagerness miss necessity privation retrenchment scantiness shortness shrinkage shrinking slightness stint want
WEAK
insufficience
Antonyms
STRONGEST
abundance affluence enough excess plenty success sufficiency
STRONG
addition advantage enlargement expansion increase perfection
WEAK
extra lot plethora profusion surplus
VERB
do not have
Synonyms
STRONGEST
need require want
STRONG
minus miss out
WEAK
be deficient in be short of be without have need of hurting for not got too little too late
Antonyms
STRONGEST
dislike have

Usage

What are other ways to say lack? The verb lack means to be without or to have less than a desirable quantity of something: to lack courage, sufficient money, enough members to make a quorum. Need often suggests urgency, stressing the necessity of supplying what is lacking: to need an operation, better food, a match to light the fire. Require, which expresses necessity as strongly as need, occurs most frequently in serious or formal contexts: Your presence at the hearing is required. Successful experimentation requires careful attention to detail.

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.

Chloe is unsure if simply banning junk food advertising will solve the problem, blaming "poverty and lack of accessible healthy options" in the area.

From BBC • Apr. 18, 2026

Zumthor also seemed deeply pleased with the moment, saying, “I’ve always been happy,” and emphasized that working in L.A. taught him to embrace a certain frontier-like lack of refinement.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 17, 2026

Compounding the problem is a teenager’s lack of financial resources, Malkin added.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 17, 2026

“The lack of disclosure and contractual complexity of these arrangements makes it difficult for investors to interpret true economic leverage versus that reported on balance sheet,” Castagno’s team writes.

From Barron's • Apr. 17, 2026

In the case of these short, stout creatures, it is because of their explicit lack of cunning that they refuse to cower, no matter the size of the threat.

From "The Undead Fox of Deadwood Forest" by Aubrey Hartman

Vocabulary lists containing lack

Zilch, Zip, Nada: Words For Nothing

Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!

ACT Vocabulary List

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Nobody's Home: Synonyms For "Absent"

Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!