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
Somewhere over the course of time and the quest to make the NBA, staying in college too long has become a sign of failure, as if either being a great college player or not being NBA-ready soon enough is a sign of a deficiency.
—
Dana O’Neil, CNN Money, 2 Apr. 2026
There's a healthy balance between getting enough sun exposure to improve vitamin D deficiency and limiting sun exposure to minimize risks.
—Ashley Olivine, Verywell Health, 2 Apr. 2026
The preliminary audit, performed by CliftonLarsonAllen LLP, found 175 deficiencies in the interim report.
—Brooke Muckerman, Memphis Commercial Appeal, 1 Apr. 2026
Then again, with a market cap of about $405 billion, last week’s audience-deficiency shuffle isn’t about to send Netflix to the poorhouse.
—Anthony Crupi, Sportico.com, 1 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for deficiency
Dana O’Neil, CNN Money, 2 Apr. 2026
There's a healthy balance between getting enough sun exposure to improve vitamin D deficiency and limiting sun exposure to minimize risks.
—Ashley Olivine, Verywell Health, 2 Apr. 2026
The preliminary audit, performed by CliftonLarsonAllen LLP, found 175 deficiencies in the interim report.
—Brooke Muckerman, Memphis Commercial Appeal, 1 Apr. 2026
Then again, with a market cap of about $405 billion, last week’s audience-deficiency shuffle isn’t about to send Netflix to the poorhouse.
—Anthony Crupi, Sportico.com, 1 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for deficiency
Recent Examples of Synonyms for deficiency
Noun
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The lack of pay has contributed to high call-out rates at airports across the country, including at Philadelphia International Airport, where staffing shortages have led to longer security lines.—
Eva Andersen,
CBS News,
30 Mar. 2026
-
The war has threatened global supplies of oil and natural gas, sparked fertilizer shortages and disrupted air travel.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
29 Mar. 2026
Noun
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As recently as 2022, research group IDinsight found unintended pregnancy was, after a lack of money for school fees, the leading cause of girls not returning to education.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
2 Apr. 2026
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In Miami-Dade, the lack of oversight has been acute, the Herald found.—
Carol Marbin Miller,
Miami Herald,
2 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Deficiency.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/deficiency. Accessed 5 Apr. 2026.
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