lack

1 of 2

verb

ˈlak 

lacked; lacking; lacks

intransitive verb

1

: to be deficient or missing

time is lacking for a full explanation

2

: to be short or have need of something

he will not lack for advisers

The area does not lack for good restaurants.

transitive verb

: to stand in need of : suffer from the absence or deficiency of

lack the necessities of life

She lacked confidence.

lack

2 of 2

noun

1

: the fact or state of being wanting or deficient

a lack of evidence

2

: something that is lacking or is needed

Synonyms

Noun

• absence
• dearth
• want

Examples of lack in a Sentence

Verb

His book lacks any coherent structure.

They lack a good strategy for winning the election.

This painting lacks any artistic value.

She has never been accused of lacking confidence.

Many of these people lack the basic necessities of life.

Noun

The problem is a lack of money.

She has been suffering from a lack of sleep lately.

Her problem is lack of sleep.

Recent Examples on the Web

Verb

Powell also said that he was not legally required to leave if asked to do so, and that his staff had determined that the president lacked the capacity under the law to demote, at will, him or any other Fed governors. —Rob Wile, NBC News, 7 Nov. 2024

Related Articles Feds probe racist ‘cotton-picking’ texts sent to Black Americans Stephens: Do liberals lack the introspection to see what went wrong? —Josh Becker, The Mercury News, 7 Nov. 2024

Noun

The lack of Wi-Fi limits its appeal potential to a degree, and without an app, there's no way to customize the experience. —PCMAG, 7 Nov. 2024

Ukraine offers public praise Ukraine sought to project a similar lack of concern over how the result might transform America’s approach to the war in Europe. —Chantal Da Silva, NBC News, 6 Nov. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Noun and Verb

Middle English lak; akin to Middle Dutch lak lack, Old Norse lakr defective

First Known Use

Verb

12th century, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 1

Noun

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing lack

• for lack of
• it is not for lack/want of trying
• lack of action
• lack thereof
• lack/want for nothing
• no lack of

Kids Definition

lack

1 of 2 verb

ˈlak 

1

: to be missing

2

: to need, want, or be short of

lacks money

lack

2 of 2 noun

1

: the fact or state of being absent or in short supply

2

: something that is lacking or is needed