as in shortages
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 deficiencies
That has allowed the Dodgers to hide their deficiencies in the bullpen – and ask less of their offense.
—
Bill Plunkett, Oc Register, 23 Oct. 2025
People with severe deficiencies may require intravenous (IV) magnesium or potassium given in a healthcare setting.
—Brittany Lubeck, Verywell Health, 22 Oct. 2025
Plaintiffs also cast doubt on Circle K’s assertion that Angeles was uniquely qualified to be West Coast regional director with evidence of deficiencies in Angeles’s past performance.
—Dan Eaton, San Diego Union-Tribune, 20 Oct. 2025
Interim coach Mike McCoy — elevated from senior offensive assistant — inherits a team that does have talent in spots but plenty of deficiencies.
—Mike Jones, New York Times, 19 Oct. 2025
These nutrient deficiencies can worsen the condition.
—Merve Ceylan, Health, 19 Oct. 2025
If social media is any indication, lean bulking still commonly involves extreme dieting, which can lead to nutrition deficiencies, hormonal changes, eating disorders, and loss of muscle and bone density.
—Yasmin Tayag, The Atlantic, 17 Oct. 2025
The Swedish government said up to 95 percent of the population could survive on grains for three months without any nutrient deficiencies in the plan which would provide people with 3,000 calories a day.
—Brendan Cole, MSNBC Newsweek, 16 Oct. 2025
The new research focused on an NOA mouse model specifically designed to mimic human genetic deficiencies causing meiotic arrest — a stage where sperm production stalls.
—Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 13 Oct. 2025
Bill Plunkett, Oc Register, 23 Oct. 2025
People with severe deficiencies may require intravenous (IV) magnesium or potassium given in a healthcare setting.
—Brittany Lubeck, Verywell Health, 22 Oct. 2025
Plaintiffs also cast doubt on Circle K’s assertion that Angeles was uniquely qualified to be West Coast regional director with evidence of deficiencies in Angeles’s past performance.
—Dan Eaton, San Diego Union-Tribune, 20 Oct. 2025
Interim coach Mike McCoy — elevated from senior offensive assistant — inherits a team that does have talent in spots but plenty of deficiencies.
—Mike Jones, New York Times, 19 Oct. 2025
These nutrient deficiencies can worsen the condition.
—Merve Ceylan, Health, 19 Oct. 2025
If social media is any indication, lean bulking still commonly involves extreme dieting, which can lead to nutrition deficiencies, hormonal changes, eating disorders, and loss of muscle and bone density.
—Yasmin Tayag, The Atlantic, 17 Oct. 2025
The Swedish government said up to 95 percent of the population could survive on grains for three months without any nutrient deficiencies in the plan which would provide people with 3,000 calories a day.
—Brendan Cole, MSNBC Newsweek, 16 Oct. 2025
The new research focused on an NOA mouse model specifically designed to mimic human genetic deficiencies causing meiotic arrest — a stage where sperm production stalls.
—Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 13 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for deficiencies
Noun
-
Food shortages would mean the disappearance of luxuries and the rationing of staples, sapping public morale.—
Charlie Campbell,
Time,
23 Oct. 2025
-
For rural patients, travel is often an obstacle, and workforce shortages make consistent follow-up difficult.—
Scott R. Schell,
MSNBC Newsweek,
22 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
So Vegas has to hope that their forward depth is strong enough to balance out where their star power lacks, relative to other contenders.—
The Athletic NHL,
New York Times,
2 Oct. 2025
-
This absence — of God, of love, of plain community spirit — is a metaphor for the whole parish, where everyone is defined by their own lacks and deficiencies, the weaknesses that cause Wicks to despise them and vow to bring down them all.—
Damon Wise,
Deadline,
6 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
The clapping served as an audible reminder of the Aztecs’ offensive inadequacies, and players visibly tightened as the clanked shots and errant passes mounted.—
Mark Zeigler,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
19 Oct. 2025
-
Yet fortunes have turned more recently, with on-field inadequacies slowly but surely eating into off-field resources.—
Chris Weatherspoon,
New York Times,
1 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Deficiencies.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/deficiencies. Accessed 30 Oct. 2025.
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