as in shortage
a falling short of an essential or desirable amount or number
there is a deficiency of fresh food in the diet of many of the working poor
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Recent Examples of deficiency
Britt Eastland said Camp Mystic would correct those deficiencies soon and has made several other safety changes.
—
Ashley Killough, CNN Money, 29 Apr. 2026
Micronutrients and gut support (vitamin D, iron, B vitamins, probiotics) help prevent deficiencies, protect bone health, and maintain a balanced gut microbiome.
—Sara Hoffman, Verywell Health, 28 Apr. 2026
Certainly, this 3-1 hole extends beyond Duren’s deficiencies.
—Hunter Patterson, New York Times, 28 Apr. 2026
The Texas health department outlined the issues in an emergency plan deficiency letter in response to the camp’s application for a license to reopen.
—Marlene Lenthang, NBC news, 24 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for deficiency
Ashley Killough, CNN Money, 29 Apr. 2026
Micronutrients and gut support (vitamin D, iron, B vitamins, probiotics) help prevent deficiencies, protect bone health, and maintain a balanced gut microbiome.
—Sara Hoffman, Verywell Health, 28 Apr. 2026
Certainly, this 3-1 hole extends beyond Duren’s deficiencies.
—Hunter Patterson, New York Times, 28 Apr. 2026
The Texas health department outlined the issues in an emergency plan deficiency letter in response to the camp’s application for a license to reopen.
—Marlene Lenthang, NBC news, 24 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for deficiency
Recent Examples of Synonyms for deficiency
Noun
-
Right now, there’s no shortage of competition.—
John Cassidy,
New Yorker,
4 May 2026
-
The shortage is particularly acute in the Philippines, which has declared a national state of energy emergency and risks running out of fuel.—
Stephanie Yang,
CNN Money,
3 May 2026
Noun
-
Staff and managers complained about the lack of specifics, as did legal-services providers and advocacy groups.—
E. Tammy Kim,
New Yorker,
7 May 2026
-
Pratt took aim at Bass over the lack of water available during the inferno, with fire hydrants running dry.—
David Zahniser,
Los Angeles Times,
7 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Deficiency.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/deficiency. Accessed 8 May. 2026.
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