1
as in shortage
a falling short of an essential or desirable amount or number
dealt with the school's insufficiency of art supplies by buying materials out of her own pocket
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in inability
the lack of sufficient ability, power, or means
her alleged insufficiency for the job
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of insufficiency
The Arizona Republic cites records obtained from the El Paso PD that purportedly include allegations of insubordination, insufficiency, tardiness, and numerous disciplinary reviews related to accusations of excessive force, dereliction of duty, and off-duty gambling.
—
Ryan Coleman, Entertainment Weekly, 10 Mar. 2026
Trump has previously drawn scrutiny for falling asleep during meetings, appearing with bruised hands often covered in makeup, revelations of unspecified medical imaging and a diagnosis of chronic venous insufficiency, which can cause swelling in the legs and ankles.
—David Matthews, New York Daily News, 3 Mar. 2026
That’s double the 2019 level when insufficiencies first soared due to Trump’s first-term tariffs under Section 301 of the 1974 Trade Act.
—Lori Ann Larocco, CNBC, 20 Feb. 2026
Many ideas that were rejected in the past receive new life upon a surprising new observation; many ideas that are accepted today will be overthrown when a key experimental result demonstrates its insufficiency.
—Big Think, 10 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for insufficiency
Ryan Coleman, Entertainment Weekly, 10 Mar. 2026
Trump has previously drawn scrutiny for falling asleep during meetings, appearing with bruised hands often covered in makeup, revelations of unspecified medical imaging and a diagnosis of chronic venous insufficiency, which can cause swelling in the legs and ankles.
—David Matthews, New York Daily News, 3 Mar. 2026
That’s double the 2019 level when insufficiencies first soared due to Trump’s first-term tariffs under Section 301 of the 1974 Trade Act.
—Lori Ann Larocco, CNBC, 20 Feb. 2026
Many ideas that were rejected in the past receive new life upon a surprising new observation; many ideas that are accepted today will be overthrown when a key experimental result demonstrates its insufficiency.
—Big Think, 10 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for insufficiency
Recent Examples of Synonyms for insufficiency
Noun
-
That means there will be no shortage of motivation in these final weeks, and their key players should continue to play every minute despite their run to the semi-finals of the Europa League.—
Abdul Rehman,
New York Times,
27 Apr. 2026
-
That’s just one example of what more than three decades of chronic school funding shortages under Colorado’s decades-old spending cap has led to.—
Kevin Vick,
Denver Post,
26 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Even when Florida’s lead was insurmountable, Golden was conscious of when to play Rioux because of his inability to keep up with the pace of the game and maintain endurance.—
Edgar Thompson,
The Orlando Sentinel,
30 Apr. 2026
-
The questions go to the heart of the frustration expressed by business leaders such as Sim Tshabalala, Standard Bank’s boss, who warned just this month at Semafor World Economy that South Africa’s anemic economic growth was down to the state’s basic inability to uphold the rule of law.—
Tiisetso Motsoeneng,
semafor.com,
29 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Goldman Sachs estimated that Qatar could see its GDP plunge by 14%, citing its lack of alternative export channels to the blockaded Strait of Hormuz.—
Kelsey Warner,
semafor.com,
29 Apr. 2026
-
This Fire sign is, after all, notorious for its lack of a filter… and the 24-year-old singer just so happens to have her sun, Venus and Pluto here.—
Valerie Mesa,
PEOPLE,
29 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
While many people get enough potassium from a balanced diet, some are more prone to a potassium deficiency.—
BestReviews,
Mercury News,
24 Apr. 2026
-
The Texas health department outlined the issues in an emergency plan deficiency letter in response to the camp’s application for a license to reopen.—
Marlene Lenthang,
NBC news,
24 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Insufficiency.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/insufficiency. Accessed 1 May. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
