lacking
lacking — adjective
1. Having too little or none of something that is expected, needed, or wanted.
Having too little or none of something that is expected, needed, or wanted.
The new teacher was lacking in confidence during her first week at the school.
lacking in + noun (confidence)
Aunt Rosa tasted her soup and said it was lacking salt and pepper.
Their proposal is ambitious but lacking in practical details about the budget.
Many villages in the region are still lacking access to clean drinking water.
The young goalkeeper was skilful but clearly lacking experience during the regional finals.
- abundant in
having plenty of something
- rich in
containing a large amount of a desired quality
文法句型
lacking in + noun
be lacking
用法筆記
Often used in the pattern 'lacking in + abstract noun' (e.g., lacking in confidence, lacking in detail). Can also take a direct noun object without 'in' (e.g., 'lacking experience').
常見錯誤
2. Completely absent or unavailable when needed; used to say that a particular qual
Completely absent or unavailable when needed; used to say that a particular quality or thing does not exist in a place or situation.
After the storm, phone service was entirely lacking in the coastal town.
be entirely lacking
The hotel room was comfortable, but a basic phone charger was lacking.
Her apology felt hollow because any sign of real regret was lacking.
The garden looked bare — flowers and greenery were completely lacking after the winter storms.
Basic safety equipment was lacking in the old workshop, which worried the inspectors.
- absent
more neutral and factual; commonly used for people as well as things
- missing
suggests something should be present but is not
- unavailable
focuses on inability to obtain or access
文法句型
be lacking
something is lacking
用法筆記
Unlike sense 1 ('short of'), this sense does not focus on quantity but on complete absence. The subject is usually the thing that is missing, not the person missing it.
常見錯誤
lacking — verb
1. To not have something that is needed or expected; to have too little of somethin
To not have something that is needed or expected; to have too little of something that is important.
The charity lacks the funds to continue its food programme beyond this month.
lack + noun (funds)
At the wedding, the best man's toast lacked the warmth that the bride's family had expected.
The old building lacks a proper fire escape, which worries the safety officer.
Professor Kim's report lacks any reference to the 2023 study on climate effects.
Though the team worked hard, they lacked the technical skills needed to finish the project on time.
- need
stronger; implies urgency or necessity
- be short of
more informal; often used for countable resources like money or time
- want
formal or literary; 'want for nothing' means have everything needed
文法句型
lack + noun
用法筆記
This is the base verb form 'lack.' The present participle 'lacking' is used in continuous tenses (e.g., 'is lacking'). Unlike the adjective 'lacking in,' the verb 'lack' takes a direct object without a preposition.
常見錯誤
lacking — noun
1. The condition or state of not having enough of something that is needed or desir
The condition or state of not having enough of something that is needed or desirable.
The project failed due to a complete lack of planning and preparation.
lack of + noun (planning)
The lack of affordable housing has forced many young families to move to the suburbs.
Due to a lack of reliable public transport, Fatima had to walk two kilometres to reach the nearest hospital.
A lack of clean water in the disaster area led to the rapid spread of disease.
The team's lack of experience showed when they faced their first international opponents.
文法句型
lack of + noun
用法筆記
Always used with 'of' followed by the thing that is scarce. The noun 'lack' is uncountable — do not say 'a lack of' for a single countable item.
常見錯誤
2. A specific thing that is not available but is wanted, needed, or expected to be
A specific thing that is not available but is wanted, needed, or expected to be present.
The company identified several lacks in its customer service procedures, including long wait times and unclear return policies.
lacks in [plural]
The report pointed out the main lacks in the school's safety equipment.
We need to address the lacks in our training programme before the next audit.
The committee listed several lacks in the current healthcare system.
The evaluation revealed serious lacks in the building's fire prevention measures.
- shortcoming
more common; a fault or failure to meet a standard
- deficiency
formal; a lack of a necessary quality or amount
- gap
common; a space or omission where something should be
文法句型
lacks in [plural]
用法筆記
This countable use of 'lack' is far less common than the uncountable sense. It is most often found in formal or technical writing (reports, evaluations) and usually in the plural form 'lacks.'