Definition of word lack

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.

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Recent Examples on the Web



San Diego, which at the time had the Padres and Chargers, was not lacking for sports viewership options.


Dan Wolken, USA TODAY, 3 Apr. 2023





The Celtics lacked depth during their NBA Finals run.


Gary Washburn, BostonGlobe.com, 1 Apr. 2023





The Houston Astros’ 2023 rotation is lacking much of the experience of last year’s crew, with Justin Verlander now in Queens and Lance McCullers Jr. on the Injured List to start the season.


Michael Shapiro, Chron, 31 Mar. 2023





His budget, however, lacked a similar plan for Social Security.


Alexandra Hutzler, ABC News, 31 Mar. 2023





Some use it for entry-level candidates whose résumés may lack relevant experience.


Danielle Abril, Anchorage Daily News, 30 Mar. 2023





Tales of wage theft, discrimination and verbal abuse circulated among his compañeros, especially those who lacked legal work documents.


Selene Rivera, Los Angeles Times, 30 Mar. 2023





Sanderson, 76, was an experienced black diamond skier who lacks vision in his right eye.


James Hibberd, The Hollywood Reporter, 30 Mar. 2023





The isolating experience catalyzed his military enrollment—and, later, his desire to find new ways to address the growing mental health crisis, especially for those who lack access to traditional mental health tools like therapy.


Alexa Mikhail, Fortune Well, 29 Mar. 2023




Those who preside over such rule lack imagination.


Joshua St. Clair, Men’s Health, 6 Apr. 2023





In hindsight, to Legler the upshot has been a lack of forethought by the Heat.


Ira Winderman, Sun Sentinel, 4 Apr. 2023





The problem facing regulators was not necessarily a lack of rules per se, but a failure to enforce them.


Christiaan Hetzner, Fortune, 4 Apr. 2023





Yet what propelled the drama forward was a distinct lack of ambivalence.


Amy Davidson Sorkin, The New Yorker, 3 Apr. 2023





At the same time, there can be legitimate questions to be raised about Alvin Bragg’s conduct in this and his lack of use of prosecutorial discretion here.


ABC News, 2 Apr. 2023





While the law requires strays to be neutered and vaccinated, experts say there is a lack of strict implementation.


Rhea Mogul, CNN, 1 Apr. 2023





Trying to finish strong There wasn’t a lack of effort at the start of the third period to make up for the previous mistakes.


Jenna Ortiz, The Arizona Republic, 1 Apr. 2023





After all, what neighborhood would be complete without that one, brave gardening crusader walking up and down the block during the dinner hour, knocking on doors, and casually pointing out the inadequacies of your mulch application or lack thereof?


Paul Cappiello, The Courier-Journal, 31 Mar. 2023



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These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word ‘lack.’ Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

lack

 (lăk)

n.

1. Deficiency or absence: Lack of funding brought the project to a halt.

2. A particular deficiency or absence: Owing to a lack of supporters, the reforms did not succeed.

v. lacked, lack·ing, lacks

v.tr.

To be without or in need of: lacked the strength to lift the box.

v.intr.

1. To be missing or deficient: We suspected that he was lying, but proof was lacking.

2. To be in need of something: She does not lack for friends.


[Middle English, perhaps from Middle Dutch lac, deficiency, fault.]

Usage Note: When lack is used in the sense «to be wanting or deficient,» it is typically followed by in: You will not be lacking in support from me. When lack is used in the sense of «to be in need of something,» it is often followed by for: «In the terrible, beautiful age of my prime, / I lacked for sweet linen but never for time» (E.B. White).

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

lack

(læk)

n

1. an insufficiency, shortage, or absence of something required or desired

2. something that is required but is absent or in short supply

vb

(when: intr, often foll by in or for) to be deficient (in) or have need (of): to lack purpose.

[C12: related to Middle Dutch laken to be wanting]

Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014

lack

(læk)
n.

1. deficiency or absence of something needed or desirable: lack of money; lack of skill.

2. something missing or wanted: After he left, they really felt the lack.

v.t.

3. to be without; have need of: You lack common sense.

4. to fall short in respect of: He lacks three votes to win.

v.i.

5. to be absent or missing: Nothing lacks but their full agreement.

6. to have a scarcity of something: She will never lack for friends.

[1125–75; Middle English lak; c. Middle Low German lak, Middle Dutch lac deficiency; akin to Old Norse lakr deficient]

syn: lack, want, need, require indicate the absence of something desirable, important, or necessary. lack means to be without or to have less than a desirable quantity of something: to lack courage; to lack sufficient money. want stresses the urgency of fulfilling a desire or providing what is lacking: The room wants some final touch to make it homey. need suggests even more urgency, stressing the necessity of supplying something essential: to need an operation. require has a similar sense, although it is used in formal or serious contexts: The report requires some editing.

Random House Kernerman Webster’s College Dictionary, © 2010 K Dictionaries Ltd. Copyright 2005, 1997, 1991 by Random House, Inc. All rights reserved.

lack

Lack can be a noun or a verb.

1. used as a noun

If there is a lack of something, there is not enough of it, or it does not exist at all.

I hated the lack of privacy in the hostel.

2. used as a verb

If someone or something lacks a quality, they do not have it.

Often new mothers lack confidence in their ability to look after their newborn baby properly.

Our little car lacked the power to pass other cars.

Be Careful!
Don’t say that someone or something ‘lacks of a quality‘.

Be Careful!
You can’t use a passive form of ‘lack’. Don’t say, for example, ‘Resources are lacked in this school‘. Say ‘This school lacks resources.’

Collins COBUILD English Usage © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 2004, 2011, 2012

lack

Past participle: lacked
Gerund: lacking

Imperative
lack
lack
Present
I lack
you lack
he/she/it lacks
we lack
you lack
they lack
Preterite
I lacked
you lacked
he/she/it lacked
we lacked
you lacked
they lacked
Present Continuous
I am lacking
you are lacking
he/she/it is lacking
we are lacking
you are lacking
they are lacking
Present Perfect
I have lacked
you have lacked
he/she/it has lacked
we have lacked
you have lacked
they have lacked
Past Continuous
I was lacking
you were lacking
he/she/it was lacking
we were lacking
you were lacking
they were lacking
Past Perfect
I had lacked
you had lacked
he/she/it had lacked
we had lacked
you had lacked
they had lacked
Future
I will lack
you will lack
he/she/it will lack
we will lack
you will lack
they will lack
Future Perfect
I will have lacked
you will have lacked
he/she/it will have lacked
we will have lacked
you will have lacked
they will have lacked
Future Continuous
I will be lacking
you will be lacking
he/she/it will be lacking
we will be lacking
you will be lacking
they will be lacking
Present Perfect Continuous
I have been lacking
you have been lacking
he/she/it has been lacking
we have been lacking
you have been lacking
they have been lacking
Future Perfect Continuous
I will have been lacking
you will have been lacking
he/she/it will have been lacking
we will have been lacking
you will have been lacking
they will have been lacking
Past Perfect Continuous
I had been lacking
you had been lacking
he/she/it had been lacking
we had been lacking
you had been lacking
they had been lacking
Conditional
I would lack
you would lack
he/she/it would lack
we would lack
you would lack
they would lack
Past Conditional
I would have lacked
you would have lacked
he/she/it would have lacked
we would have lacked
you would have lacked
they would have lacked

Collins English Verb Tables © HarperCollins Publishers 2011

ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:

Noun 1. lack - the state of needing something that is absent or unavailablelack — the state of needing something that is absent or unavailable; «there is a serious lack of insight into the problem»; «water is the critical deficiency in desert regions»; «for want of a nail the shoe was lost»

absence — the state of being absent; «he was surprised by the absence of any explanation»

need, demand — a condition requiring relief; «she satisfied his need for affection»; «God has no need of men to accomplish His work»; «there is a demand for jobs»

deficit — a deficiency or failure in neurological or mental functioning; «the people concerned have a deficit in verbal memory»; «they have serious linguistic deficits»

mineral deficiency — lack of a mineral micronutrient that is essential for normal nutrition or metabolism

shortness — the condition of being short of something; «there was no shortness of money»; «can cause shortness of breath»

stringency, tightness — a state occasioned by scarcity of money and a shortage of credit

Verb 1. lack - be withoutlack — be without; «This soup lacks salt»; «There is something missing in my jewelry box!»

want — be without, lack; be deficient in; «want courtesy»; «want the strength to go on living»; «flood victims wanting food and shelter»

exclude — lack or fail to include; «The cost for the trip excludes food and beverages»

Based on WordNet 3.0, Farlex clipart collection. © 2003-2012 Princeton University, Farlex Inc.

lack

noun

1. shortage, want, absence, deficiency, need, shortcoming, deprivation, inadequacy, scarcity, dearth, privation, shortness, destitution, insufficiency, scantiness Despite his lack of experience, he got the job.
shortage excess, surplus, abundance, sufficiency, adequacy, plentifulness

verb

1. miss, want, need, require, not have, be without, be short of, be in need of, be deficient in It lacked the power of the Italian cars.
miss have, own, enjoy, possess

Collins Thesaurus of the English Language – Complete and Unabridged 2nd Edition. 2002 © HarperCollins Publishers 1995, 2002

lack

noun

1. The condition or fact of being deficient:

defect, deficiency, deficit, inadequacy, insufficiency, paucity, poverty, scantiness, scantness, scarceness, scarcity, shortage, shortcoming, shortfall, underage.

2. The condition of lacking a needed or usual amount:

verb

To be without what is needed, required, or essential:

The American Heritage® Roget’s Thesaurus. Copyright © 2013, 2014 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

Translations

فُقْدان ، نَقْصنَقْصٌيَنْقُص

nedostateknemítpostrádat

mangelmangle

puutevajaus

nedostatak

skortaskortur

欠乏

부족

nebūtineturėtistigtistokoti

nepietiekamībanepietikttrūkttrūkums

imeti premalopomanjkanje

brist

การขาด

sự thiếu

Collins Spanish Dictionary — Complete and Unabridged 8th Edition 2005 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1971, 1988 © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2005

lack

[ˈlæk]

n [experience, evidence, time, resources] → manque m
He got the job despite his lack of experience → Il a obtenu le poste en dépit de son manque d’expérience.
no lack of … (= plenty of)
There was no lack of volunteers → Les volontaires ne manquaient pas.
through lack of sth → par manque de qch
for lack of sth → pour manque de qch

Collins English/French Electronic Resource. © HarperCollins Publishers 2005

lack

Collins German Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged 7th Edition 2005. © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1980 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1997, 1999, 2004, 2005, 2007

lack

[læk]

2. vt we lack (the) time to do itci manca il tempo di or per farlo
he lacks confidence → non è sicuro di sé

3. vi to be lacking inmancare di
he is lacking in confidence → non è sicuro di sé
he lacks for nothing → non gli manca niente

Collins Italian Dictionary 1st Edition © HarperCollins Publishers 1995

lack

(lӕk) verb

to have too little or none of. He lacked the courage to join the army.

noun

the state of not having any or enough. our lack of money.

be lacking (with in)

1. to be without or not to have enough. He is lacking in intelligence.

2. to be absent; to be present in too little an amount. Money for the project is not lacking but enthusiasm is.

Kernerman English Multilingual Dictionary © 2006-2013 K Dictionaries Ltd.

lack

نَقْصٌ nedostatek mangel Mangel έλλειψη carencia puute manque nedostatak mancanza 欠乏 부족 gebrek mangel brak falta нехватка brist การขาด eksiklik sự thiếu 缺乏

Multilingual Translator © HarperCollins Publishers 2009

lack

n. falta, carencia; necesidad; falta de;

___ of food___ de alimentos;

___ of medicationfalta de o carencia de medicina;

___ of orientation___ de orientación;

v. carecer de; faltar;

they ___ everythingcarecen de todo.

English-Spanish Medical Dictionary © Farlex 2012

English-Spanish/Spanish-English Medical Dictionary Copyright © 2006 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.

  • Top Definitions
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  • British

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This shows grade level based on the word’s complexity.


noun

deficiency or absence of something needed, desirable, or customary: lack of money; lack of skill.

something missing or needed: After he left, they really felt the lack.

verb (used with object)

to be without or deficient in: to lack ability; to lack the necessities of life.

to fall short in respect of: He lacks three votes to win.

verb (used without object)

to be absent or missing, as something needed or desirable: Three votes are lacking to make a majority.

Verb Phrases

lack in, to be short of or deficient in: What he lacks in brains, he makes up for in brawn.

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Origin of lack

1125–75; Middle English lak; cognate with Middle Low German lak,Middle Dutch lac deficiency; akin to Old Norse lakr deficient

Words nearby lack

Lachute, lacing, lacinia, laciniate, lac insect, lack, lackadaisical, lackaday, Lackawanna, lacker, lackey

Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

WHEN TO USE

What are other ways to say lack?

To lack something is to be without or deficient in it. How does lack compare to synonyms want, need, and require? Find out on Thesaurus.com

Words related to lack

absence, dearth, inadequacy, loss, paucity, poverty, reduction, scarcity, shortage, shortcoming, shortfall, need, require, want, abridgement, curtailment, decrease, default, defect, deficit

How to use lack in a sentence

  • This resulted in campaigns that were under-funded, chasing search volume that simply did not exist, and a general lack of evergreen brand paid search.

  • The lack of games also gives more practice time to Jakub Vrana, who came off the covid-19 list Tuesday.

  • While one of his Republican rivals has spent 30 years in the legislature, and two others have personal fortunes that will allow them to self-fund, Doran touts his lack of experience and wealth as assets.

  • Solutions exist, but they must be implementedTo address the internet gap, we believe that policymakers must identify lack of internet access as a barrier and protect against its effects.

  • This isn’t because these geese chose to go there, but rather because they’re forced to occupy these areas, thanks to a lack of habitat and booming human populations.

  • But in the case of black women, another study found no lack of interest.

  • There were also crashes not due to either mechanical or human error but to a lack of warning of dangerous conditions.

  • But this physical involvement, or lack of it, is only part of the problem.

  • There are a few good ones, Antoine says, but he complained bitterly of a lack of responsiveness.

  • The following month came, and for lack of a better term, I chickened out.

  • He is perplexed and hindered by the lack of soldiers, but is doing his best with his small forces.

  • The lack of bill buyers in foreign countries who will quote as low rates on dollar as on sterling bills.

  • The rapid spread of the revolt was not a whit less marvelous than its lack of method or cohesion.

  • He heard himself saying lightly, though with apparent lack of interest: ‘How curious, Lettice, how very odd!

  • Such mutual distrust necessarily creates or accompanies a lack of moral courage.

British Dictionary definitions for lack


noun

an insufficiency, shortage, or absence of something required or desired

something that is required but is absent or in short supply

verb

(when intr, often foll by in or for) to be deficient (in) or have need (of)to lack purpose

Word Origin for lack

C12: related to Middle Dutch laken to be wanting

Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
© William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Содержание

  • 1 Английский
    • 1.1 lack I
      • 1.1.1 Морфологические и синтаксические свойства
      • 1.1.2 Произношение
      • 1.1.3 Семантические свойства
        • 1.1.3.1 Значение
        • 1.1.3.2 Синонимы
        • 1.1.3.3 Антонимы
        • 1.1.3.4 Гиперонимы
        • 1.1.3.5 Гипонимы
      • 1.1.4 Родственные слова
      • 1.1.5 Этимология
      • 1.1.6 Фразеологизмы и устойчивые сочетания
      • 1.1.7 Библиография
    • 1.2 lack II
      • 1.2.1 Морфологические и синтаксические свойства
      • 1.2.2 Произношение
      • 1.2.3 Семантические свойства
        • 1.2.3.1 Значение
        • 1.2.3.2 Синонимы
        • 1.2.3.3 Антонимы
        • 1.2.3.4 Гиперонимы
        • 1.2.3.5 Гипонимы
      • 1.2.4 Родственные слова
      • 1.2.5 Этимология
      • 1.2.6 Фразеологизмы и устойчивые сочетания
      • 1.2.7 Библиография

АнглийскийПравить

lack IПравить

Морфологические и синтаксические свойстваПравить

ед. ч. мн. ч.
lack lacks

lack

Существительное.

Корень: .

ПроизношениеПравить

  • МФА (Великобритания): ед. ч. [lak], мн. ч. []
  • МФА (США): ед. ч. [læk]  мн. ч. []

Семантические свойстваПравить

ЗначениеПравить

  1. недостаток, отсутствие ◆ Отсутствует пример употребления (см. рекомендации).
  2. нужда ◆ Отсутствует пример употребления (см. рекомендации).

СинонимыПравить

АнтонимыПравить

ГиперонимыПравить

ГипонимыПравить

Родственные словаПравить

Ближайшее родство

ЭтимологияПравить

Происходит от ??

Фразеологизмы и устойчивые сочетанияПравить

  • lack of fit: неадекватность [модели] (матем.)

БиблиографияПравить

lack IIПравить

Морфологические и синтаксические свойстваПравить

lack

Глагол, правильный.

Корень: .

ПроизношениеПравить

  • МФА (Великобритания): [lak]
  • МФА (США): [læk

Семантические свойстваПравить

ЗначениеПравить

  1. недоставать, отсутствовать ◆ Отсутствует пример употребления (см. рекомендации).

СинонимыПравить

АнтонимыПравить

ГиперонимыПравить

ГипонимыПравить

Родственные словаПравить

Ближайшее родство

ЭтимологияПравить

Происходит от ??

Фразеологизмы и устойчивые сочетанияПравить

БиблиографияПравить

Other forms: lacking; lacked; lacks

If you lack something, you need or want something that’s missing. When there’s a lack of food, people starve.

There are a lot of things lacking in the world. If you have no video games, then you’re lacking them. People who are thirsty and starving lack food and water. Many people lack money and health care. A lack of something is the opposite of an abundance of something. If you have plenty of books, then you don’t lack them — though you may lack enough time to read them all.

Definitions of lack

  1. noun

    the state of needing something that is absent or unavailable

    “there is a serious
    lack of insight into the problem”

    synonyms:

    deficiency, want

  2. “This soup
    lacks salt”

    synonyms:

    miss

DISCLAIMER: These example sentences appear in various news sources and books to reflect the usage of the word ‘lack’.
Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Vocabulary.com or its editors.
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Lack of confidence During a debate in the British Parliament Thursday, Finance Minister George Osborne blamed the stock market drops on what he called a lack of confidence in ability of governments to repay their debts. ❋ Unknown (2011)

Marcia Angell, a Harvard Medical School senior lecturer, wrote a book called «Science on Trial» in 1996 criticizing what she called a lack of evidence behind the assertions of implant risks. ❋ Jennifer Corbett Dooren (2011)

In his remarks, President Obama referred again to what he called a lack of political will in Washington and an «insistence on drawing lines in the sand» that he said needs to be changed as the deficit and debt debate moves forward. ❋ Unknown (2011)

Tim Pawlenty, who has lagged behind in national public-opinion polls, came out swinging: He jabbed front-runner Mitt Romney, mocking his wealth, and he criticized surging fellow Minnesotan Michele Bachmann for what he called her lack of experience and successes. ❋ Neil King Jr. (2011)

Although he had to dismiss his childhood ambition to be a professional skier due to what he calls a «lack of talent,» Mr. Bamber is a keen triathlete. ❋ Harriet Agnew (2011)

He also took to task Republicans, the Tea Party and what he called the lack of shared sacrifice in both the economy and the just-passed debt ceiling bill. ❋ The Huffington Post News Editors (2011)

One of his complaints about ARC was what he called a lack of funding from New York, though the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey was paying about one-third of its cost. ❋ Lisa Fleisher (2011)

More photos and interactive graphics Escalating tensions, the Gulf Arab countries brokering negotiations between the Yemeni strongman and the wide-ranging political opposition calling for an end to his 32-year rule suspended their efforts because of what they called the «lack of appropriate conditions» for a peaceful handover of power. ❋ Margaret Coker (2011)

The pope condemned a widening campaign against Christians in the Middle East in his homily at St. Peter’s Basilica, echoing comments last month in which he called a lack of religious freedom a threat to world security. ❋ Unknown (2011)

But in a brief telephone call from Athens after talks with Greek officials, Mr. Dallara expressed concern over what he called the «lack of clear process» to complete negotiations. ❋ Alkman Granitsas (2012)

Palin has taken shots at Obama before, including over his handling of the Gulf of Mexico oil spill and what she called his lack of executive experience before assuming the presidency. ❋ Unknown (2010)

When Larry Bradford started shopping for a home, he was surprised by what he described as the lack of choices in the Fairfax City neighborhoods he was eyeing. ❋ Unknown (2010)

WELNA: The panel’s top Republican, Indiana’s Richard Luger, complained of what he called a lack of clarity on Afghanistan. ❋ Unknown (2010)

[Went] out with [the Lack] last night, Then gave her a [seeing to] afterwards! ❋ Frank Forsey (2003)

«Damn that lack is [pimpin] on [dem] [dubs]» ❋ ShOvel (2003)

«this chick [looks good] as hell but she lacks a [nice ass]»
«he’s tryna [play me] in a one on one but lacks basketball skills» ❋ S H A U N (2005)

«He [gave] me lack»
«[Quit] [giving] me lack» ❋ Chris Hab (2008)

This [chocolate] lacks [sugar]; it isn’t sweet! ❋ Jon Davis (2004)

The middle aged daughter took her [aging] Mother for lunch. Her complete lackness of [good behavior] and interest clearly [illustrated] their awful relationship history. She just didn’t care about her Mother as she displayed such apparent lackness of love. ❋ Suzgirl (2016)

If i [catch] a [opp] [lacking] he getting. Smoke ❋ Ar5003A (2016)

«[Dont] let me [catch] you lacking [my nigga]» ❋ Landon1365 (2015)

Bestfriend: I thought you supposed to actually spit when you spitting game to make it work.
You: BOY you dumb as a duck ! I’m finna [get on you] son ! That’s a neck !
Bestfriend: *dodges and runs away* 🏃
You: Don’t worry, imma catch you lacking.
Bestfriend: *walking down the hall, not paying attention*
You: *runs up and necks bsf*
You: I told you imma catch you lacking !
Bestfriend: I ain’t [going out sad], i’ll catch you lacking one day ! Wait on it.
— or
Person 1: I was just walking down the street and I got mugged by that one barber i owe money to 🤦🏾 ♂️.
Person 2: Who told you not to be paying attention ! You got [caught lacking] so that’s on you ! Just take the L and go.
Person 1: They caught me lacking but i ain’t going out sad ! i’ll get my goons on him !
Person 2: Boy don’t turn this into a nigga moment . Like i said YOU got caught not paying attention so take your L and go.
Person 1: Mann whatever. ❋ BrokeBintiBeans (2018)

[Nah bro], we [caught] you [lacking]! ❋ GraftonPlayz1 (2022)

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educalingo

I was trying to find out what it was that everybody else understood without giving up my stubborn and hard-won lack of understanding.

David Antin

section

ETYMOLOGY OF THE WORD LACK

Related to Middle Dutch laken to be wanting.

info

Etymology is the study of the origin of words and their changes in structure and significance.

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section

PRONUNCIATION OF LACK

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GRAMMATICAL CATEGORY OF LACK

Lack is a verb and can also act as a noun.

A noun is a type of word the meaning of which determines reality. Nouns provide the names for all things: people, objects, sensations, feelings, etc.

The verb is the part of the sentence that is conjugated and expresses action and state of being.

See the conjugation of the verb lack in English.

WHAT DOES LACK MEAN IN ENGLISH?

Lack

To lack something is to not have it. Lack may also refer to: ▪ Lack ▪ Lack Township, Juniata County, Pennsylvania ▪ Lack, County Fermanagh, Northern Ireland ▪ Lack, Poland ▪ Łąck, Poland ▪ Lack, a term in Lacan’s psychoanalytic philosophy…


Definition of lack in the English dictionary

The first definition of lack in the dictionary is an insufficiency, shortage, or absence of something required or desired. Other definition of lack is something that is required but is absent or in short supply. Lack is also when intr, often foll by in or for to be deficient or have need.

CONJUGATION OF THE VERB TO LACK

PRESENT

Present

I lack

you lack

he/she/it lacks

we lack

you lack

they lack

Present continuous

I am lacking

you are lacking

he/she/it is lacking

we are lacking

you are lacking

they are lacking

Present perfect

I have lacked

you have lacked

he/she/it has lacked

we have lacked

you have lacked

they have lacked

Present perfect continuous

I have been lacking

you have been lacking

he/she/it has been lacking

we have been lacking

you have been lacking

they have been lacking

Present tense is used to refer to circumstances that exist at the present time or over a period that includes the present time. The present perfect refers to past events, although it can be considered to denote primarily the resulting present situation rather than the events themselves.

PAST

Past

I lacked

you lacked

he/she/it lacked

we lacked

you lacked

they lacked

Past continuous

I was lacking

you were lacking

he/she/it was lacking

we were lacking

you were lacking

they were lacking

Past perfect

I had lacked

you had lacked

he/she/it had lacked

we had lacked

you had lacked

they had lacked

Past perfect continuous

I had been lacking

you had been lacking

he/she/it had been lacking

we had been lacking

you had been lacking

they had been lacking

Past tense forms express circumstances existing at some time in the past,

FUTURE

Future

I will lack

you will lack

he/she/it will lack

we will lack

you will lack

they will lack

Future continuous

I will be lacking

you will be lacking

he/she/it will be lacking

we will be lacking

you will be lacking

they will be lacking

Future perfect

I will have lacked

you will have lacked

he/she/it will have lacked

we will have lacked

you will have lacked

they will have lacked

Future perfect continuous

I will have been lacking

you will have been lacking

he/she/it will have been lacking

we will have been lacking

you will have been lacking

they will have been lacking

The future is used to express circumstances that will occur at a later time.

CONDITIONAL

Conditional

I would lack

you would lack

he/she/it would lack

we would lack

you would lack

they would lack

Conditional continuous

I would be lacking

you would be lacking

he/she/it would be lacking

we would be lacking

you would be lacking

they would be lacking

Conditional perfect

I would have lack

you would have lack

he/she/it would have lack

we would have lack

you would have lack

they would have lack

Conditional perfect continuous

I would have been lacking

you would have been lacking

he/she/it would have been lacking

we would have been lacking

you would have been lacking

they would have been lacking

Conditional or «future-in-the-past» tense refers to hypothetical or possible actions.

IMPERATIVE

Imperative

you lack
we let´s lack
you lack

The imperative is used to form commands or requests.

NONFINITE VERB FORMS

Present Participle

lacking

Infinitive shows the action beyond temporal perspective. The present participle or gerund shows the action during the session. The past participle shows the action after completion.

Synonyms and antonyms of lack in the English dictionary of synonyms

SYNONYMS OF «LACK»

The following words have a similar or identical meaning as «lack» and belong to the same grammatical category.

Translation of «lack» into 25 languages

online translator

TRANSLATION OF LACK

Find out the translation of lack to 25 languages with our English multilingual translator.

The translations of lack from English to other languages presented in this section have been obtained through automatic statistical translation; where the essential translation unit is the word «lack» in English.

Translator English — Chinese


缺乏

1,325 millions of speakers

Translator English — Spanish


carencia

570 millions of speakers

English


lack

510 millions of speakers

Translator English — Hindi


कमी

380 millions of speakers

Translator English — Arabic


نَقْصٌ

280 millions of speakers

Translator English — Russian


нехватка

278 millions of speakers

Translator English — Portuguese


falta

270 millions of speakers

Translator English — Bengali


অভাব

260 millions of speakers

Translator English — French


manque

220 millions of speakers

Translator English — Malay


Kekurangan

190 millions of speakers

Translator English — German


Mangel

180 millions of speakers

Translator English — Japanese


欠乏

130 millions of speakers

Translator English — Korean


부족

85 millions of speakers

Translator English — Javanese


Kekurangan

85 millions of speakers

Translator English — Vietnamese


sự thiếu

80 millions of speakers

Translator English — Tamil


பற்றாக்குறை

75 millions of speakers

Translator English — Marathi


कमतरता

75 millions of speakers

Translator English — Turkish


eksiklik

70 millions of speakers

Translator English — Italian


mancanza

65 millions of speakers

Translator English — Polish


brak

50 millions of speakers

Translator English — Ukrainian


нестача

40 millions of speakers

Translator English — Romanian


lipsă

30 millions of speakers

Translator English — Greek


έλλειψη

15 millions of speakers

Translator English — Afrikaans


gebrek

14 millions of speakers

Translator English — Swedish


brist

10 millions of speakers

Translator English — Norwegian


mangel

5 millions of speakers

Trends of use of lack

TENDENCIES OF USE OF THE TERM «LACK»

The term «lack» is very widely used and occupies the 3.958 position in our list of most widely used terms in the English dictionary.

Trends

FREQUENCY

Very widely used

The map shown above gives the frequency of use of the term «lack» in the different countries.

Principal search tendencies and common uses of lack

List of principal searches undertaken by users to access our English online dictionary and most widely used expressions with the word «lack».

FREQUENCY OF USE OF THE TERM «LACK» OVER TIME

The graph expresses the annual evolution of the frequency of use of the word «lack» during the past 500 years. Its implementation is based on analysing how often the term «lack» appears in digitalised printed sources in English between the year 1500 and the present day.

Examples of use in the English literature, quotes and news about lack

10 QUOTES WITH «LACK»

Famous quotes and sentences with the word lack.

I was trying to find out what it was that everybody else understood without giving up my stubborn and hard-won lack of understanding.

Every day, every week without taking decisions is a problem for us, is a very wrong message for the markets and increases the lack of credibility of our economies.

My hope is that people will be repulsed by the character’s complete lack of ethics and obsession with consumerism — that’s what I was saying about the difference between the character’s message and the film’s message.

The chief role of the universities is to prolong adolescence into middle age, at which point early retirement ensures that we lack the means or the will to enforce significant change.

The roles I was lucky enough to get were real stretches for me: usually a character who was older, or a little weird, or whatever. And it was hard, not just for the lack of work but because you have to face up to how people are looking at you.

I know it’s very ‘old media’ of me to admit this, but I am often unnerved by the lack of civility on the Web.

If you take away the predators in the prairies and the national parks, you suddenly have an explosion of elk, and then you have a lack of the food source for the elk, so they strip all the ground bare and that takes away the cover, on and on and on and on. The whole food chain is disrupted.

Conflict of interest and lack of transparency, though they are global features as we saw post-Iraq, almost define Indian cricket.

We may excuse the spiritual poverty of our preaching in many ways, but the true secret will be found in the lack of urgent prayer for God’s presence in the power of the Holy Spirit.

Bad food is made without pride, by cooks who have no pride, and no love. Bad food is made by chefs who are indifferent, or who are trying to be everything to everybody, who are trying to please everyone… Bad food is fake food… food that shows fear and lack of confidence in people’s ability to discern or to make decisions about their lives.

10 ENGLISH BOOKS RELATING TO «LACK»

Discover the use of lack in the following bibliographical selection. Books relating to lack and brief extracts from same to provide context of its use in English literature.

1

Lack of Character: Personality and Moral Behavior

This book is a provocative contribution to contemporary ethics and moral psychology, challenging fundamental assumptions about character dating to Aristotle.

2

The Hedge Fund Mirage: The Illusion of Big Money and Why …

This book will give investors the tools to evaluate whether their own fund is up to the mark.» —Roger Lowenstein, author, When Genius Failed «The Hedge Fund Mirage is required reading for hedge fund investors.

3

Radical Democracy: Politics Between Abundance and Lack

William Connolly and Ernesto Laclau conclude the volume with two afterwords on the future of radical democracy.

Lars Tønder, Lasse Thomassen, 2005

The 1947 version is reproduced with facsimile pages of the original text, tables and line illustrations.

5

«A Lack of Offensive Spirit?»: The 46th (North Midland) …

A Lack of Offensive Spirit?’ tells the story of Stuart Wortley and the 46th Division from the opening of the war, through the tragedy of the Hohenzollern Redoubt and then, day by day, through the preparations for the attack on Gommecourt.

6

Family Homelessness: More Than Simply a Lack of Housing

This book examines the multiple factors that contribute to family homelessness, and uses quantitative and qualitative analyses to identify those factors which represent the major supports and barriers to homeless exit and housing stability.

7

From Lack to Excess: «minor» Readings of Latin American …

«From Lack to Excess analyzes the narrative and rhetorical structures of Latin American colonial texts by establishing a dialogue with studies on minority discourse, minor literatures, and postcolonial theory.

Yolanda Martínez-San Miguel, 2008

«On the eve of the heated presidential election of 1892, Miss Hattie Davish arrives in Eureka Springs, Arkansas, a scenic resort town where those without the scent of whiskey on their breath have the plight of temperance on their tongues.

9

No Lack of Courage: Operation Medusa, Afghanistan

Moreover, it revealed yet again that Canadian soldiers have no lack of courage. This is the story of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization’s first battle.

10

My People Perish for Lack of Knowledge

This book is much like an «Owners Manuel» for understanding «How» to become Victorious, where we were given our «Power of Attorney» and how to walk in that Power every day of our lives.

Mark Sohmer, Pastor, 2010

10 NEWS ITEMS WHICH INCLUDE THE TERM «LACK»

Find out what the national and international press are talking about and how the term lack is used in the context of the following news items.

Digital Divide: At least 1.1 million Pennsylvania homes lack Internet …

At least 55 million Americans like Emerson lack reliable broadband Internet access at home — an issue that has swiftly moved from a nuisance … «The Delaware County Daily Times, Jul 15»

Lack of markings decreases jug’s value

Its adornment, or more precisely the lack thereof, is the principle factor in determining its value to collectors. Common utilitarian examples, like … «Quad City Times, Jul 15»

Rockford to study lack of home Internet among poor families — News …

ROCKFORD — City, school, library, public housing and telecommunications leaders will spend the next two weeks trying to determine just how … «Rockford Register Star, Jul 15»

Lack of exercise twice as deadly as obesity — Times Bulletin

The researchers also found the risk of early death due to lack of exercise are double that posed by obesity and does not necessarily depend on … «Times Bulletin, Jul 15»

Land Bill: Centre likely to take ordinance route again over lack of …

“The bill is unlikely to be brought before Parliament in the Monsoon Session due to lack of consensus. Hence the only likely probability is its … «The Indian Express, Jul 15»

Moore letter: Attacks on Pope lack substance — Laramie Boomerang …

Recent letters by Misters Watson, Mancinho and Carducci attacking Pope Francis do nothing more than attempt to brand the man a Socialist of … «Laramie Boomerang, Jul 15»

How lack of sleep affects willpower — Fairbanks Daily News-Miner …

How lack of sleep affects willpower By Judith Kleinfeld newsminer.com. Fairbanks Daily News-Miner community perspective: Are you eating a … «Fairbanks Daily News-Miner, Jul 15»

SEC Media Days brought out lack of sure starting quarterbacks …

HOOVER, Ala. — The media has cleared out of Alabama, signaling the end of Southeastern Conference Media Days. Each team got its turn to … «Palm Beach Post, Jul 15»

Doctors claim a lack of new GPs is putting patients’ lives at risk NHS …

SCOTTISH LABOUR last week said the country’s GP surgeries were in trouble as doctors retire amid a shortage of new recruits. Here, two … «Scottish Daily Record, Jul 15»

Although they lack color, flycatchers are a feisty family …

Although they lack color, flycatchers are a feisty family Bryan Stevens | For the Birds | Special to the Herald Courier HeraldCourier.com. «Bristol Herald Courier, Jul 15»

REFERENCE

« EDUCALINGO. Lack [online]. Available <https://educalingo.com/en/dic-en/lack>. Apr 2023 ».

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Discover all that is hidden in the words on educalingo

Meaning lack

What does lack mean? Here you find 12 meanings of the word lack. You can also add a definition of lack yourself

1

0

 
0

«be wanting or deficient» (intransitive), late 12c., perhaps from Middle Dutch laken «to be wanting,» from lak (n.) «deficiency, fault,» or an unrecorded native cognate w [..]

2

0

 
0

lack

c. 1300, «absence, want; shortage, deficiency,» not found in Old English, of uncertain origin. Perhaps it is from an unrecorded Old English *lac, or else borrowed from Middle Dutch lak » [..]

3

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0

lack

/ˈlæk/ verb lacks; lacked; lacking 1 lack /ˈlæk/ verb lacks; lacked; lacking Learner's definition of LACK : to not have (something) [+ object] His book lacks any coherent structure. They [..]

4

0

 
0

lack

absence or reduction.

5

0

 
0

lack

miss: be without; &amp;quot;This soup lacks salt&amp;quot;; &amp;quot;There is something missing in my jewelry box!&amp;quot; the state of needing something that is absent or unavailab [..]

6

0

 
0

lack

to be in need of something you have not got. If you are hungry, you lack food

7

0

 
0

lack

Definition noun

8

0

 
0

lack

feln

9

0

 
0

lack

verb Definition: to move in a way that is both walking and running Example Sentence: I am lacking across Main Street.

10

0

 
0

lack

careo, egeo, penuria

11

0

 
0

lack

(obsolete) A defect or failing; moral or spiritual degeneracy.

*aan
* Esperanto: (manki)
* Faliscan:(entbehren)
*: Alemannic German:esu|-ngite
en|lackluster

12

0

 
0

lack

varnish

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WordReference Random House Learner’s Dictionary of American English © 2023

lack /læk/USA pronunciation  
n. 

  1. absence of something needed or desirable;
    not enough of something needed or desired: [uncountable]There is no lack of talent on this team.[countable* usually singular]The team has a lack of skill.
  2. something missing or wanted:[uncountable]felt the lack of a steady income.

v. [not: be + ~-ing*  see lacking ]

  1. to be without;
    have need of:[+ object]You lack common sense.
  2. to fall short in:[+ object]He lacks three votes to win.
  3. to be absent or missing:[no object]Nothing lacks but their full agreement.
  4. to not have enough of something:[+ for + object]She will never lack for friends.

    lack is a noun and a verb, lacking is an adjective:A lack of money prevented us from buying a house. We lacked enough money to buy a house. You are lacking in many important skills.


WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2023

lack 
(lak),USA pronunciation n. 

  1. deficiency or absence of something needed, desirable, or customary:lack of money; lack of skill.
  2. something missing or needed:After he left, they really felt the lack.

v.t.

  1. to be without or deficient in:to lack ability; to lack the necessities of life.
  2. to fall short in respect of:He lacks three votes to win.

v.i.

  1. to be absent or missing, as something needed or desirable:Three votes are lacking to make a majority.
  2. lack in, to be short of or deficient in:What he lacks in brains, he makes up for in brawn.
  • 1125–75; Middle English lak; cognate with Middle Low German lak, Middle Dutch lac deficiency; akin to Old Norse lakr deficient

    • 1.See corresponding entry in Unabridged dearth, scarcity, paucity, deficit, insufficiency.
    • 1, 3.See corresponding entry in Unabridged want, need.
    • 3.See corresponding entry in Unabridged Lack, want, need, require as verbs all stress the absence of something desirable, important, or necessary.
      Lack means to be without or to have less than a desirable quantity of something:to lack courage, sufficient money, enough members to make a quorum.Want may imply some urgency in fulfilling a requirement or a desire:Willing workers are badly wanted. The room wants some final touch to make it homey.Need often suggests even more urgency than does want stressing the necessity of supplying what is lacking:to need an operation, better food, a match to light the fire.Require, which expresses necessity as strongly as need, occurs most frequently in serious or formal contexts:Your presence at the hearing is required. Successful experimentation requires careful attention to detail.


    • 1.See corresponding entry in Unabridged surplus.


Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

lack /læk/ n

  1. an insufficiency, shortage, or absence of something required or desired
  2. something that is required but is absent or in short supply

vb

  1. when intr, often followed by in or for: to be deficient (in) or have need (of)

Etymology: 12th Century: related to Middle Dutch laken to be wanting

lack‘ also found in these entries (note: many are not synonyms or translations):

  • Defenition of the word lack

    • To need a number or amount of something, but not having enough or any at all.
    • To need a number or amount of something, but not having any at all.
    • A deficiency or need (of something desirable or necessary).
    • A shortage or absence of what is needed.
    • the state of needing something that is absent or unavailable; «there is a serious lack of insight into the problem»; «water is the critical deficiency in desert regions»; «for want of a nail the shoe was lost»
    • be without; «This soup lacks salt»; «There is something missing in my jewellery box!»
    • be without, lack; be deficient in; «want courtesy»; «want the strength to go on living»; «flood victims wanting food and shelter»
    • the state of needing something that is absent or unavailable
    • be without

Synonyms for the word lack

    • be deficient in
    • be short of
    • deficiency
    • miss
    • need
    • not have
    • require
    • want

Similar words in the lack

    • lack
    • lack’s
    • lackadaisical
    • lackadaisically
    • lacked
    • lackey
    • lackey’s
    • lackeys
    • lacking
    • lackluster
    • lacks

Hyponyms for the word lack

    • absence
    • dearth
    • deficit
    • exclude
    • famine
    • mineral deficiency
    • shortage
    • shortness
    • stringency
    • tightness
    • want

Hypernyms for the word lack

    • demand
    • lack
    • miss
    • need

Antonyms for the word lack

    • feature
    • have

See other words

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    • Translation of the word in other languages polite

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