as in shortage
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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Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of deficiency Health inspectors also noted record-keeping deficiencies, such as food packaging, food establishment permit, and food manager certificates. —
Shambhavi Rimal, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 9 Apr. 2026 Anthony’s defensive deficiencies, especially his throwing, have been on full display in an ugly 2-8 start for the Red Sox this season and were at the center of another rough loss Monday night at Fenway Park, this time to the Brewers. —Greg Dudek, Boston Herald, 7 Apr. 2026 Her departure was warranted based on performance deficiencies rather than gender considerations. —Los Angeles Times, 5 Apr. 2026 This phase is designed to address deficiencies identified during initial operations, complete technical refinements, and implement maintenance or system adjustments before the platform transitions into a regular deployment cycle. —Bojan Stojkovski, Interesting Engineering, 4 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for deficiency
Shambhavi Rimal, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 9 Apr. 2026 Anthony’s defensive deficiencies, especially his throwing, have been on full display in an ugly 2-8 start for the Red Sox this season and were at the center of another rough loss Monday night at Fenway Park, this time to the Brewers. —Greg Dudek, Boston Herald, 7 Apr. 2026 Her departure was warranted based on performance deficiencies rather than gender considerations. —Los Angeles Times, 5 Apr. 2026 This phase is designed to address deficiencies identified during initial operations, complete technical refinements, and implement maintenance or system adjustments before the platform transitions into a regular deployment cycle. —Bojan Stojkovski, Interesting Engineering, 4 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for deficiency
Recent Examples of Synonyms for deficiency
Noun
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As the Department of Transportation faced criticism for widespread flight delays caused by a shortage of air traffic controllers amid a government shutdown in 2025, Duffy appeared at a campaign event for his son.— Robert Schmad, The Washington Examiner, 19 Apr. 2026
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With a smorgasbord of food deals from local and national chains to choose from, there's no shortage of ways to celebrate.— Mary Walrath-Holdridge, USA Today, 19 Apr. 2026
Noun
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The lack of information drove Congress last year to pass the bill forcing the DOJ to release the Epstein files.— Curt Devine, CNN Money, 22 Apr. 2026
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Other fire survivors complained of Edison’s lack of planning and coordination with residents.— Melody Petersen, Los Angeles Times, 22 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Deficiency.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.grautoblog.com/thesaurus/deficiency. Accessed 24 Apr. 2026.
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