Lacking and Sparse

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

Sparse and lacking are semantically related in scanty topic. In some cases you can use "Sparse" instead an adjective "Lacking".

Nearby Words: lack, lacked

Sparse

Sparse adjective - Less plentiful than what is normal, necessary, or desirable.
Usage example: open land is sparse around here

Lacking and sparse are semantically related in scanty topic. Sometimes you can use "Lacking" instead an adjective "Sparse".

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