Lack Synonym Guide — Definition, Antonyms, and Examples

Are you at a loss for lack synonyms? Well, you’ve come to the right place!

We’ve done extensive research to provide you with essential lacksynonyms out there. For each term, we’ve provided explanations and examples too.

You’re sure to finish this guide with more words in your vocabulary than when you first started reading this. 

What is “Lack”?

The dictionary defines lack as an English term that describes what is not there. A lack is when something is missing or not existent by any means.

For example, a lack of food or water could signify a famine or war. It is the absence of something essential or required for a certain situation.

Examples of “Lack” in Sentences

• Stores lacked the ingredients I wanted to make my dish.
• The painting was great, but it lacked something.
• My young nephew was suffering from a lack of care.
• This book lacks a more exciting plot.

Lack Synonyms — Exploring Terms with Similar Meanings

Some lack synonym examples are absence, want, need, deficiency, dearth, insufficiency, shortage and scarcity. Other words with similar meaning include paucity, shortfall, undersupply, and deficit.

Scarcity

Scarcity is the condition of rarity or limited availability of something. It can be perceived as a circumstance in which insufficient quantities exist for a particular population to satisfy their needs.

• There was a food scarcity during the drought.

Shortage

Another similar term to scarcity is shortage. A shortage is an unreasonable lack of or reduction in an amount or quality of a commodity or supply.

• The town experienced a water shortage due to leaking pipes. 

Insufficiency

Insufficiency can refer to lacking something (food, money, time, etc.). This can emphasize the rarity of “a given item.”

• The court could not give him a sentence due to the insufficiency of the evidence given.

Deficit

A deficit means an insufficient amount of something that you need to meet an expectation. Often, the term deficit is applied in economic contexts, like in making a budget or investing money.

• He noticed a deficit of $5,000 in his savings account.

“Lack” Antonyms — Exploring Terms with Opposite Meanings

Some antonyms for lack are presence, abundance, plenty, amplitude, and adequacy.

Plenty

In direct contrast to lack, plenty describes having enough of something. Plenty can also be a connotation of excess, but it’s not usually the meaning of this term.

• I want to have plenty of time to devote to my work.

Enough

Having enough means you have as much as necessary. You have enough if you do not need anything else.

• We have so much to do and not enough time to do it.

Excess

Anything that is more than the necessary or permitted amount is said to be in excess. It exists beyond the means or limits of something or somebody.

• Excess waste has become a problem worldwide, especially in developing countries due to rapid industrialization.

Abundance

 Abundance means that plenty of something is available, whether it is food, goods, or other things. It is having exceedingly more than what is necessary.

• You can find an abundance of terms in a Thesaurus.

To Wrap Up

Lack is a handy term when describing the shortage of something. It’s best to use other terms related to lack to avoid redundancy when writing your articles. Now that you’ve finished this guide, you will never be at a loss for words for a lack synonym ever again!