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
But the novel is part of a larger project, and the deficiencies of a single book can do nothing to obscure the validity of his ambition.
—
Leo Robson, New York Times, 14 Apr. 2025
Mega-doses should instead be reserved for cases of severe deficiency and must be prescribed by a doctor.
—Mélanie Defouilloy, Vogue, 14 Apr. 2025
That deficiency intensified now that Brown is heading to Jacksonville on a one-year deal, according to a team source.
—Ben Standig, New York Times, 11 Apr. 2025
According to a 2023 study, 35% of adults in the US are suffering from a vitamin D deficiency, and that can lead to a number of issues (poor immune system, risk of certain cancers, and liver and kidney disease, to name just a few).
—Audrey Noble, Vogue, 11 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for deficiency
Leo Robson, New York Times, 14 Apr. 2025
Mega-doses should instead be reserved for cases of severe deficiency and must be prescribed by a doctor.
—Mélanie Defouilloy, Vogue, 14 Apr. 2025
That deficiency intensified now that Brown is heading to Jacksonville on a one-year deal, according to a team source.
—Ben Standig, New York Times, 11 Apr. 2025
According to a 2023 study, 35% of adults in the US are suffering from a vitamin D deficiency, and that can lead to a number of issues (poor immune system, risk of certain cancers, and liver and kidney disease, to name just a few).
—Audrey Noble, Vogue, 11 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for deficiency
Cite this Entry
“Deficiency.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/deficiency. Accessed 30 Apr. 2025.
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