Deficient
Deficient adjective - Falling short of a standard.
Usage example: woefully deficient eyesight kept him out of military service
Inadequate is a synonym for deficient in lacking topic. In some cases you can use "Inadequate" instead an adjective "Deficient", when it comes to topics like lean, big, defective, insufficient. popular alternative
Inadequate
Inadequate adjective - Not coming up to an expected measure or meeting a particular need.
Usage example: an inadequate amount of food on hand for so many unexpected guests
Deficient is a synonym for inadequate in insufficient topic. You can use "Deficient" instead an adjective "Inadequate", if it concerns topics such as lean, big, defective, lacking. popular alternative
Nearby Words: inadequacy, inadequately
Mutual synonyms
Related pairs
- low and deficient
- low and inadequate
- short and deficient
- short and inadequate
- inferior and deficient
- inferior and inadequate
- imperfect and deficient
- imperfect and inadequate
- poor and deficient
- poor and inadequate
- incompetent and deficient
- incompetent and inadequate
- weak and deficient
- weak and inadequate
Cite this Source
Inadequate and Deficient. (2016). Retrieved 2026, July 21, from https://thesaurus.plus/related/deficient/inadequate
Deficient & Inadequate. N.p., 2016. Web. 21 Jul. 2026. <https://thesaurus.plus/related/deficient/inadequate>.
Inadequate or Deficient. 2016. Accessed July 21, 2026. https://thesaurus.plus/related/deficient/inadequate.
Google Ngram Viewer shows how "deficient" and "inadequate" have occurred on timeline