lacking
- 01 B2 Upper Intermediate
adj.not having enough of something, especially a good quality or a necessary skill.
adj.deficient in a specific quality, attribute, or requirement. Often follows the verb 'to be' and takes the preposition 'in'.
Simple“The team played well, but their final performance was lacking in energy.”
In context“While the technical execution of the concerto was flawless, the judges found the emotional depth of the performance somewhat lacking.”
UsageCommonly used in the pattern 'be lacking in [something]' or as a standalone adjective meaning 'unsatisfactory'.
PitfallThe soup is lacking of salt. The soup is lacking in salt.When using 'lacking' as an adjective to show what is missing, use the preposition 'in', not 'of'.
SynonymsAntonyms - 02 C1 Advanced
n.the state of not having something that you should have.
n.the state or instance of being without something desirable or necessary; a deficiency.
Simple“The main problem with the plan was a total lacking of clear instructions.”
In context“The report highlighted a persistent lacking of oversight within the department, which led to several administrative errors.”
UsageOften used with 'of' when functioning as a gerund-noun.
Teacher's tipIn modern English, 'lack' is much more common as a noun than 'lacking'. Suggest 'a lack of' to students for most contexts.
“Students were admitted to newly formed public universities lacking the reading skills those schools expected.”
“Maxence Lacroix and Morgan Rogers bring quality to positions where Chelsea were lacking it – at centre-back and out wide.”