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Definitions

lack

[lak] / læk /




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.

The Mexican team’s lack of elite club experience, however, is obvious and could be a problem.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 11, 2026

Sweden's right-wing government withdrew Thursday a heavily contested proposal to lower the age at which children can be sentenced to prison from 15 to 13, citing a lack of support in parliament.

From Barron's • Jun. 11, 2026

SpaceX cited lack of demand at the time, according to the Space Review.

From MarketWatch • Jun. 11, 2026

Activist groups are protesting the violence and lack of resources for missing persons, while President Claudia Sheinbaum promised no crackdown on demonstrations.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 11, 2026

There were already many visitors, most of them standing for lack of chairs.

From "The Hiding Place" by Corrie ten Boom




Vocabulary lists containing lack


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