1
as in incomplete
lacking some necessary part
a diet deficient in calcium can lead to weak bones
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in unacceptable
falling short of a standard
woefully deficient eyesight kept him out of military service
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in lacking
not coming up to an expected measure or meeting a particular need
too deficient in common sense to be trusted to stay by himself
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of deficient
What is often misunderstood is that any of these virtuous behaviors can manifest as deficient vices when underdeveloped and as excess vices when strong but unsupported by the other 10 character dimensions, as evidenced by Steve Jobs.
—
Mary Crossan,
Forbes.com,
23 June 2026
Nemec has great mobility and skills at both ends of the ice with an emphasis on offense, checking off a ton of boxes for an offense-deficient Flames team.
—
Peter Baugh,
New York Times,
23 June 2026
About 220,000 need major repair or replacement, and 41,677 are rated poor, also called structurally deficient.
—
Alex Krasnok,
Fortune,
21 June 2026
About 220,000 need major repair or replacement, and 41,677 are rated poor, also called structurally deficient.
—
Alex Krasnok,
The Conversation,
19 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for deficient
Mary Crossan,
Forbes.com,
23 June 2026
Nemec has great mobility and skills at both ends of the ice with an emphasis on offense, checking off a ton of boxes for an offense-deficient Flames team.
—
Peter Baugh,
New York Times,
23 June 2026
About 220,000 need major repair or replacement, and 41,677 are rated poor, also called structurally deficient.
—
Alex Krasnok,
Fortune,
21 June 2026
About 220,000 need major repair or replacement, and 41,677 are rated poor, also called structurally deficient.
—
Alex Krasnok,
The Conversation,
19 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for deficient
Recent Examples of Synonyms for deficient
Adjective
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Reform has proven difficult, sometimes violent, and remains incomplete.
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But this narrative of the USMNT winning formula is, at worst, wrong and at best, incomplete.
Adjective
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In their grievance letter, the detainees called the markups an unacceptable business practice with no apparent limit.
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Overt racial prejudice, long considered socially unacceptable, is increasingly visible in public life, marking a shift from previously subtle forms.
Adjective
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Shuffling the opposition across to make space for a switch to the far side is a viable method of attack, but that can then come at the cost of a central box presence, with Portugal lacking runners beyond the ball.
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There is something to be found in both this character and the actress who plays her, but Alcock’s Kara did not have a chance to shine here in a lacking feature, and deserved better.
Adjective
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Critics, and even some supporters, said Soto-Martínez was making his move at the wrong time.
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That could always be wrong, of course, but at least that’s the garage talk heading into the weekend.
Adjective
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The complaint alleges that the conduct contributed to two patient deaths linked to inadequate care.
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Frustration has mounted over what many Venezuelans saw as an inadequate government response, with soldiers, firefighters, police and emergency services struggling to respond to the scale of the disaster.
Adjective
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Because of that, these hands suffer from high production costs, poor durability against impacts, short operational lifespans, and there are no existing solutions that engineers can readily draw upon, Wang added.
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The extreme heat can also affect people who are physically ill, especially those with heart disease or high blood pressure, or who take certain medications, such as for depression, insomnia, or poor circulation.
Adjective
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Trump and his supporters have repeatedly pushed Senate leaders to abolish the filibuster to pass the election bill, but there's also insufficient support to drastically change the chamber's procedures.
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However, inadequate wastewater infrastructure, insufficient funding and a lack of accountability have contributed to one of the worst environmental and public health crises in North America.
Adjective
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Stronger and more flavorful than in your original lame iteration?
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On paper, some of the six, all of whom are far-right conservatives, have enviable educational backgrounds, but the record has proven that each one is openly political and willing to rubber-stamp nearly all of DeSantis’ lame and unconstitutional policies.
Cite this Entry
“Deficient.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/deficient. Accessed 6 Jul. 2026.
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