Insufficient and Lacking

Insufficient

Insufficient adjective - Not coming up to an expected measure or meeting a particular need.
Usage example: there's been an insufficient number of volunteers for the job, so I'll have to select someone

Lacking is a synonym for insufficient in inadequate topic. In some cases you can use "Lacking" instead an adjective "Insufficient", when it comes to topics like deficient, property, scanty. popular alternative

Nearby Words: insufficiency, insufficiently

Lacking

Lacking adjective - Not coming up to an expected measure or meeting a particular need.
Usage example: we felt the afternoon television offerings were somewhat lacking in entertainment value

Insufficient is a synonym for lacking in deficient topic. You can use "Insufficient" instead an adjective "Lacking", if it concerns topics such as property, inadequate, scanty. popular alternative

Nearby Words: lack, lacked
Cite this Source
Lacking and Insufficient. (2016). Retrieved 2026, July 21, from https://thesaurus.plus/related/insufficient/lacking
Insufficient & Lacking. N.p., 2016. Web. 21 Jul. 2026. <https://thesaurus.plus/related/insufficient/lacking>.
Lacking or Insufficient. 2016. Accessed July 21, 2026. https://thesaurus.plus/related/insufficient/lacking.
Google Ngram Viewer shows how "insufficient" and "lacking" have occurred on timeline