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
However, the team continues through the postseason, things could be tougher as other teams won't be as deficient in the frontcourt as the Lakers.
—
Matt Levine, MSNBC Newsweek, 1 May 2025
The skink, listed as data deficient on the International Union for Conservation of Nature’s Red List, had never officially been documented alive and in its natural habitat.
—Lauren Liebhaber, Miami Herald, 15 Apr. 2025
Their argument is legally flawed, morally deficient and provably inconsistent.
—Scott Maxwell, Orlando Sentinel, 11 Mar. 2025
The Mount Zion Road/Columbia Hollow bridge was part of the 2017 county bridge plan to replace 15 bridges deemed structurally deficient by the Arkansas Department of Transportation.
—Arkansas Online, 9 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for deficient
Matt Levine, MSNBC Newsweek, 1 May 2025
The skink, listed as data deficient on the International Union for Conservation of Nature’s Red List, had never officially been documented alive and in its natural habitat.
—Lauren Liebhaber, Miami Herald, 15 Apr. 2025
Their argument is legally flawed, morally deficient and provably inconsistent.
—Scott Maxwell, Orlando Sentinel, 11 Mar. 2025
The Mount Zion Road/Columbia Hollow bridge was part of the 2017 county bridge plan to replace 15 bridges deemed structurally deficient by the Arkansas Department of Transportation.
—Arkansas Online, 9 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for deficient
Recent Examples of Synonyms for deficient
Adjective
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An extended hall leads to another long hall, ending with an incomplete chamber containing his burial well.—
Rosa Rahimi,
CNN Money,
27 May 2025
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Sandoval gripes off-target against the state’s high rate of hospice fraud, poor Medi-Cal reimbursement rates, incomplete data reporting and reports that never see the light of day.—
U T Readers,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
26 May 2025
Adjective
-
The first project yields too many false positives, introducing an unacceptable amount of friction into the consumer experience.—
Shazia Manus,
Forbes.com,
23 May 2025
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But Humane Society officials insist any cut over $1 million is unacceptable and will prompt the nonprofit to stop providing service to the city.—
David Garrick,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
21 May 2025
Adjective
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Ship was heading the wrong direction The training ship arrived at New York's Pier 17 and was open to the public to visit from May 13 to 17, according to the Mexican Consulate in New York.—
N'dea Yancey-Bragg,
USA Today,
19 May 2025
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Baltimore deserves credit for stepping up and sending Tullis-Joyce the wrong way, particularly against a cacophonous backdrop of angry United fans behind that goal.—
Michael Cox,
New York Times,
18 May 2025
Adjective
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When their work is considered inadequate, a perfectionistic leader’s anger can threaten psychological safety in the workplace.—
Esade Business & Law School,
Forbes.com,
23 May 2025
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Yesterday’s announcement that Israel will allow a basic quantity of food into Gaza is wholly inadequate.—
Callum Sutherland,
Time,
23 May 2025
Adjective
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The original doesn’t go that deeply into it, but this poor girl was essentially forced to be a teen mom at this time in her life when all of her friends would be graduating high school and dating and thinking about their futures.—
Patrick Ryan,
USA Today,
24 May 2025
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The product was released in 2023 to a poor reception, and discontinued before the company began winding down operations in February.—
Tom Huddleston Jr.,
CNBC,
24 May 2025
Adjective
-
There is insufficient scientific evidence to conclude that a black bear hunt is necessary to reduce their numbers to maintain a healthy population and protect their habitat.—
Grant Gelhardt,
The Orlando Sentinel,
17 May 2025
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The same year, he was arrested on a felony battery warrant related to a 2017 concert in Florida, but the charges against him were dropped due to insufficient evidence.—
Wesley Stenzel,
EW.com,
16 May 2025
Adjective
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As holidays go, however, Flag Day can feel a bit lame.—
Kevin Fisher-Paulson,
San Francisco Chronicle,
8 June 2021
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My 11-year-old loved watching the pups roll balls and play a giant floor piano, but for non-dog owners (guilty as charged), parts of the series—like dressing dogs in little hats and outfits for a Parisian fashion show—feel lame.—
Tim Neville,
Outside Online,
23 Nov. 2020
Adjective
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Things started even worse for Minnesota in the middle frame, as their offense still sputtered and the Frost’s second power play of the game was a disaster, with the Charge controlling the play and testing Rooney repeatedly throughout the two minutes.—
Jess Myers,
Twin Cities,
23 May 2025
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But, are seed oils worse than saturated animal fats?—
Marianne Krasny,
Forbes.com,
23 May 2025
Cite this Entry
“Deficient.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/deficient. Accessed 2 Jun. 2025.
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