Lacking and Unable

Related words

Lacking adjective - Not coming up to an expected measure or meeting a particular need.

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Unable and lacking are semantically related. In some cases you can use "Unable" instead an adjective "Lacking".

Nearby Words: lack, lacked

Unable adjective - Lacking qualities (as knowledge, skill, or ability) required to do a job.

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Lacking and unable are semantically related. Sometimes you can use "Lacking" instead an adjective "Unable".

The Marines loved it, but lacking much in the way of mechanics, they were unable to maintain them.

Source: Awesome Personnel Carrier
They were deleted along with his old account, and were unable to be backed up due to Tom lacking an external hard-drive at the time.

Source: Lets Play / Hellfire Commentaries
In one comic, two cows were staring at a ringing phone, unable to answer it due to lacking opposable thumbs.

Source: Feather Fingers

Cite this Source

Unable and Lacking. (2016). Retrieved 2026, August 08, from https://thesaurus.plus/related/lacking/unable

Lacking & Unable. N.p., 2016. Web. 08 Aug. 2026. <https://thesaurus.plus/related/lacking/unable>.

Unable or Lacking. 2016. Accessed August 08, 2026. https://thesaurus.plus/related/lacking/unable.

Google Ngram Viewer shows how "lacking" and "unable" have occurred on timeline