ENGLISH
REFERENCE

insufficiency

n. C / U
C1 Advanced US //ˌɪnsəˈfɪʃənˌsi// UK //ɪnsəfˈɪʃənsi// in·suf·fi·cien·cy
Definition

n. a lack of enough of something that is needed. It is often used in medical or technical contexts to describe a failure to provide what is necessary.

n. a state of being insufficient or inadequate for a specific purpose. Frequently used in medical terminology to describe the failure of an organ or system to perform its required function.


SIMPLE

The doctor diagnosed heart insufficiency after the test.

CONTEXTUAL

The project failed because of a lack of funding, which led to a severe insufficiency of skilled labor.

COMPLEX

While the initial proposal was ambitious, the committee pointed out a critical insufficiency in the data, suggesting that the results were not statistically significant enough to justify the investment.

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