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LACK Definition & Meaning | Dictionary.com

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View synonyms for lack

lack

[ lak ]

noun

  1. an absence or inadequate amount of something needed, desirable, or customary:

    We had to severely limit our holiday gift shopping due to lack of funds.

    Lack of skill is the main reason he didn’t get the job.

    Synonyms: need, want, insufficiency, deficit, paucity, scarcity, dearth

    Antonyms: surplus

  2. something missing or needed:

    After he left, they really felt the lack.



verb (used with object)

  1. to be without or deficient in:

    She wants to become an actor, but unfortunately she lacks ability.

    Many of the villagers lacked even the basic necessities of life.

    Synonyms: need, want

  2. to fall short of a target or requirement by (a particular amount):

    He lacks three votes to win.

verb (used without object)

  1. to be absent or missing, as something needed or desirable:

    Three votes are lacking to make a majority.

verb phrase

  1. to be short of or deficient in:

    What he lacks in brains, he makes up for in brawn.

lack

/ læk /

noun

  1. an insufficiency, shortage, or absence of something required or desired
  2. something that is required but is absent or in short supply
“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged” 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

verb

  1. whenintr, often foll by in or for to be deficient (in) or have need (of)

    to lack purpose

“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged” 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
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Word History and Origins

Origin of lack1

First recorded in 1125–75; Middle English lak; cognate with Middle Low German lak, Middle Dutch lac “deficiency”; akin to Old Norse lakr “deficient”
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Word History and Origins

Origin of lack1

C12: related to Middle Dutch laken to be wanting
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Example Sentences

Caruso, whose daughter lost her home in the wildfires, voiced outrage over the lack of water pressure to attack the fire in Pacific Palisades.

A lack of infrastructure, affordable housing and community attitudes tend to lock ordinary Australians out of waterfront areas, while those natural assets are often used by those lucky enough to live there.

From BBC

The lack of air support left firefighters on the ground doing what they could to save homes and stop the flames, which proved to be almost an impossible challenge given the intense winds.

They base this argument on precedent – the lack of delivery of the changes recommended by the national independent inquiry led by Professor Alexis Jay.

From BBC

She said she felt sorry for paramedics who due to the lack of space in hospitals are being forced to hold patients on board "for a long time".

From BBC

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When To Use

What are other ways to say lack?

To lack something is to be without or deficient in it. How does lack compare to synonyms want, need, and require? Find out on Thesaurus.com

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