Word forms: 3rd person singular presenttense lacks, present participle lacking, past tense, past participle lacked
1. uncountable noun [oft aNOUN]
If there is a lackof something, there is not enough of it or it does not exist at all.
Despite his lack of experience, he got the job. [+ of]
The charges were dropped for lack of evidence. [+ of]
He tricked his way into a job as a hospital doctor and killed a patient through lackof care.
There is a lack of people wanting to start up new businesses. [+ of]
Synonyms: shortage, want, absence, deficiency More Synonyms of lack
2. verb
If you say that someone or something lacks a particular quality or that a particular quality is lacking in them, you mean that they do not have any or enough of it.
It lacked the power of the Italian cars. [VERB noun]
He lacked the judgment and political acumen for the post of chairman. [VERB noun]
Certain vital information is lacking in the report. [VERB]
Synonyms: miss, want, need, require More Synonyms of lack
3. See also lacking
4.
See no lack of something
lack in British English
(læk)
noun
1.
an insufficiency, shortage, or absence of something required or desired
2.
something that is required but is absent or in short supply
verb
3. (whenintr, often foll by in or for)
to be deficient (in) or have need (of)
to lack purpose
Word origin
C12: related to Middle Dutch laken to be wanting
lack in American English
(læk)
noun
1.
the fact or condition of not having enough; shortage; deficiency
2.
the fact or condition of not having any; complete absence
3.
the thing that is lacking or needed
verb intransitive
4.
to be wanting or missing; show a deficiency
5.
a.
to be short
with in, for, or, now rarely, of
b.
to be in need
verb transitive
6.
to be deficient in or entirely without
7.
to fall short by
lacking one ounce of being a pound
8. Obsolete
to need; require
SYNONYMY NOTE: lack implies an absence or insufficiency of something essential or desired [she lacks experience]; want (in this sense, chiefly British) and , need stress the urgency of supplying what is lacking [this matter needs, or wants, immediate attention]; require emphasizes even more strongly imperative need, connoting that what is needed is indispensable[his work requires great powers of concentration]
OPPOSITES: have, possess
Word origin
early ME lac < or akin to MLowG & MDu lak, lack: for IE base see leak
lack- in American English
(læk)
lacking
lackluster
COBUILD Collocations
lack
apparent lack of
bemoan a lack of
chronic lack of
comparative lack of
complete lack of
perceived lack of
relative lack of
total lack of
woeful lack of
Examples of 'lack' in a sentence
lack
The civil service suffers most from a lack of technical knowledge.
Times, Sunday Times (2017)
These are practical people who may lack social skills.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
They are likely to be practical and physically able but may lack social skills.
The Sun (2016)
We were just lacking in quality at times.
The Sun (2016)
His lack of experience is a worry.
The Sun (2016)
They did not go on trial due to a lack of evidence.
The Sun (2017)
Here they were chopped too small and lacked enough crackle of the fire.
Times, Sunday Times (2017)
He was booked for showing frustration, which showed a lack of understanding and maybe empathy.
Times, Sunday Times (2017)
Or, indeed, the almost complete lack of it.
The Sun (2016)
His chief finding was that lack of supply was'not to blame for soaring house prices '.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
The lack of information has left employees confused about where to seek help.
The Sun (2009)
Total lack of use does lead to muscle weakness and muscle wasting.
MacIntyre, Anne M. E. Post-Viral Fatigue Syndrome - How To Live With It (1989)
Those who enjoyed their hospitality will testify to the complete lack of side displayed by the couple.
John Fisher Tommy Cooper: Always Leave Them Laughing (2006)
We lack the power to save ourselves from so many scary things in our world.
Christianity Today (2000)
There is a chronic lack of people wishing to be foster carers.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
The researchers said that a lack of counselling may be to blame for failure to quit.
Times, Sunday Times (2006)
Prices are also being driven up by a chronic lack of supply.
Times, Sunday Times (2007)
Lack of experience is a slight worry but she looked streetwise on her sole outing so far.
The Sun (2016)
This lack of understanding is still there.
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
It lacks enough of the right sort of artists.
Times, Sunday Times (2007)
She lacks something real to connect with.
The Sun (2013)
Though her husband lacked the expertise in her subject he by no means lacked the interest.
Times, Sunday Times (2014)
His resignation letter reportedly complained of shortages and lack of healthcare and other support for his men.
Times, Sunday Times (2008)
The lack of language means that he can play all over the world.
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
This is a total lack of respect towards the coach who did so much for him.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
Their biggest error is a lack of judgment in posting this video on to the internet.
The Sun (2008)
These people should face criminal charges for their lack of care.
The Sun (2008)
Your lack of general knowledge is a running joke.
The Sun (2012)
There is a total lack of confidence in his ability to deal with the aerial stuff.
The Sun (2014)
Like their complete lack of conviction when it matters most.
The Sun (2016)
Some people worry about loss of muscle bulk and power from lack of use.
MacIntyre, Anne M. E. Post-Viral Fatigue Syndrome - How To Live With It (1989)
People who may lack confidence or status in the real world can find it here.
Times, Sunday Times (2007)
Distraught relatives at Cairo airport complained of a lack of information.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
In other languages
lack
British English: lack /læk/ NOUN
If there is a lack of something, there is not enough of it, or there is none at all.
Despite his lack of experience, he got the job.
American English: lack
Arabic: نَقْصٌ
Brazilian Portuguese: falta
Chinese: 缺乏
Croatian: nedostatak
Czech: nedostatek
Danish: mangel
Dutch: gebrek tekort
European Spanish: carencia
Finnish: puute
French: manque
German: Mangel
Greek: έλλειψη
Italian: mancanza
Japanese: 欠乏
Korean: 부족
Norwegian: mangel
Polish: brak
European Portuguese: falta
Romanian: lipsă
Russian: нехватка
Latin American Spanish: carencia
Swedish: brist ofullkomlighet
Thai: การขาด
Turkish: eksiklik
Ukrainian: нестача
Vietnamese: sự thiếu
British English: lack VERB
If you say that someone or something lacks a particular quality or that a particular quality is lacking in them, you mean that they do not have any or enough of it.
It lacked the power of the other cars.
Those were all qualities he lacked.
American English: lack
Brazilian Portuguese: faltar
Chinese: 没有
European Spanish: faltar
French: manquer de
German: fehlen an
Italian: mancare di
Japanese: 欠けている
Korean: 결여되어 있다
European Portuguese: faltar
Latin American Spanish: no tener
All related terms of 'lack'
lack focus
The focus of something is the main topic or main thing that it is concerned with.
lack discipline
Discipline is the quality of being able to behave and work in a controlled way which involves obeying particular rules or standards .
lack knowledge
Knowledge is information and understanding about a subject which a person has, or which all people have.
lack imagination
Your imagination is the ability that you have to form pictures or ideas in your mind of things that are new and exciting , or things that you have not experienced .
lack the edge
If you say that someone or something has an edge , you mean that they have a powerful quality.
total lack of
If there is a lack of something, there is not enough of it or it does not exist at all.
woeful lack of
If there is a lack of something, there is not enough of it or it does not exist at all.
apparent lack of
If there is a lack of something, there is not enough of it or it does not exist at all.
bemoan a lack of
If there is a lack of something, there is not enough of it or it does not exist at all.
chronic lack of
If there is a lack of something, there is not enough of it or it does not exist at all.
complete lack of
If there is a lack of something, there is not enough of it or it does not exist at all.
perceived lack of
If there is a lack of something, there is not enough of it or it does not exist at all.
relative lack of
If there is a lack of something, there is not enough of it or it does not exist at all.
comparative lack of
If there is a lack of something, there is not enough of it or it does not exist at all.
no lack of something
If you say there is no lack of something, you are emphasizing that there is a great deal of it.
for want of trying/for lack of trying
If you say that something fails but not for want of trying or not for lack of trying , you mean that everything possible was done to make it succeed .
Chinese translation of 'lack'
lack
(læk)
n(s/u)
(= absence) 缺乏 (quēfá)
vt
[means, skills, experience, confidence]缺乏 (quēfá)
through or for lack of sth因缺乏某物 (yīn quēfá mǒuwù)
to be lacking不足 (bùzú)
to be lacking in sth[confidence, imagination, talent]缺乏某物 (quēfá mǒuwù)
(noun)
Definition
shortage or absence of something required or desired
Despite his lack of experience, he got the job.
Synonyms
shortage
There's no shortage of ideas.
want
The men were daily becoming weaker for want of rest.
absence
In the absence of a will, the courts decide who the guardian is.
deficiency
They did tests for signs of vitamin deficiency.
need
shortcoming
deprivation
Unemployment can sometimes cause social deprivation.
inadequacy
the inadequacy of the water supply
scarcity
an ever-increasing scarcity of water
dearth
a dearth of resources
privation (formal)
They endured years of privation during the war.
shortness
destitution
insufficiency
Anaemia is due to insufficiency of iron.
scantiness
debt
Opposites
excess,
surplus
,
abundance
,
sufficiency
,
adequacy
,
plentifulness
(verb)
Definition
to be short (of) or have need (of)
It lacked the power of the Italian cars.
Synonyms
miss
want
Our team still wants one more player.
need
He desperately needed money.
require
A baby requires warmth and physical security.
not have
be without
be short of
be in need of
be deficient in
Opposites
have
,
own
,
enjoy
,
possess
Additional synonyms
in the sense of absence
Definition
the fact of being without something
In the absence of a will, the courts decide who the guardian is.
Synonyms
lack,
defect,
deficiency,
default,
deprivation,
omission,
scarcity,
want,
need,
shortage,
dearth,
privation (formal),
unavailability,
nonexistence
in the sense of dearth
Definition
an inadequate amount
a dearth of resources
Synonyms
lack,
want,
need,
absence,
poverty,
shortage,
deficiency,
famine,
inadequacy,
scarcity,
paucity (formal),
insufficiency,
sparsity,
scantiness,
exiguousness
in the sense of deficiency
Definition
a lack or shortage
They did tests for signs of vitamin deficiency.
Synonyms
lack,
want,
deficit,
absence,
shortage,
deprivation,
inadequacy,
scarcity,
dearth,
privation (formal),
insufficiency,
scantiness
Synonyms of 'lack'
lack
Explore 'lack' in the dictionary
Additional synonyms
in the sense of deprivation
Unemployment can sometimes cause social deprivation.
Synonyms
want,
need,
hardship,
suffering,
distress,
disadvantage,
oppression,
detriment,
privation (formal),
destitution
in the sense of inadequacy
Definition
lack or shortage
the inadequacy of the water supply
Synonyms
shortage,
poverty,
dearth,
paucity (formal),
insufficiency,
incompleteness,
meagreness,
skimpiness,
scantiness,
inadequateness
in the sense of insufficiency
Anaemia is due to insufficiency of iron.
Synonyms
shortage,
lack,
deficiency,
want,
poverty,
inadequacy,
short supply,
scarcity,
dearth,
paucity (formal),
scantiness,
inadequateness
in the sense of need
Definition
the condition of lacking something
Synonyms
lack,
shortage,
inadequacy,
paucity (formal),
insufficiency
in the sense of need
Definition
to require or be in want of
He desperately needed money.
Synonyms
want,
miss,
require,
lack,
have to have,
demand
in the sense of privation
Definition
loss or lack of the necessities of life
They endured years of privation during the war.
Synonyms
want,
poverty,
need,
suffering,
loss,
lack,
distress,
misery,
necessity,
hardship,
penury,
destitution,
neediness,
indigence
in the sense of require
Definition
to need
A baby requires warmth and physical security.
Synonyms
need,
crave,
depend upon,
have need of,
want,
miss,
lack,
wish,
desire,
stand in need of
in the sense of scarcity
Definition
an inadequate supply
an ever-increasing scarcity of water
Synonyms
shortage,
lack,
deficiency,
poverty,
want,
dearth,
paucity (formal),
insufficiency,
infrequency,
undersupply,
rareness
in the sense of want
Definition
a lack, shortage, or absence
The men were daily becoming weaker for want of rest.