lack

lack — noun

1. the situation when something that is needed or expected is absent or available o

1.nounB1
Definition

the situation when something that is needed or expected is absent or available only in a smaller amount than required — for example, a region suffering from a lack of rain, or a team losing because of a lack of preparation.

Example

The project failed due to a lack of funding from investors.

collocation: due to a lack of [resource]

Many children in rural Kenya suffer from a lack of clean drinking water.

collocation: suffer from a lack of [something]

Common collocations
  • lack of support
  • lack of interest
  • lack of experience
  • lack of resources
  • lack of evidence
  • serious lack
  • complete lack
  • total lack
  • relative lack
Synonyms
  • shortage

    more concrete; used when there is a measurable, often smaller amount than needed (e.g. food shortage, staff shortage)

  • absence

    stronger — implies something is completely missing rather than just insufficient

  • deficiency

    more formal; often used in medical or technical contexts

Antonyms
  • abundance

    a large quantity of something, more than enough

  • plenty

    as much or more than needed; less formal than 'abundance'

Grammar Patterns

a/the lack of [something]

for lack of [something]

no lack of [something]

Usage Note

Always followed by 'of' when describing what is missing. The phrase 'for lack of' means 'because there is not enough of' and often appears in formal or written English.

Common Mistakes

There is a lack water in the village.
There is a lack of water in the village.
'lack' as a noun always requires 'of' before the thing that is missing.
We have lack of time.
We have a lack of time.
the noun 'lack' needs the article 'a' when it precedes 'of + noun'.
Idioms

not for lack of trying

idiom

used to say that although someone has not achieved something, it is not because they did not make enough effort

The team did not win the championship, but it was not for lack of trying — they trained every day for six months.

not for want/lack of trying

idiom

Used to emphasize that someone made a strong effort even though they did not succeed.

Maya didn't get the job, but not for lack of trying.

The team lost the match, but it wasn't for want of trying.

lack — verb

Word family

  • lacking
    adjectiveB2
  • lacked
    verb (past tense)B1
  • lackluster
    adjectiveC1

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

All five words describe something missing, but with important differences. 'Lack' is the most general — a neutral statement that something needed is not present or is insufficient. 'Shortage' implies a measurable shortfall, often in supply (food shortage, staff shortage). 'Absence' is stronger: the thing is completely missing, not just insufficient. 'Deficiency' is more formal and often technical — used in medicine (vitamin deficiency) or quality contexts. 'Need' adds urgency, suggesting the thing is essential and someone would suffer without it. 'Want' (as a noun) is literary or formal, describing a regrettable absence. For everyday situations, 'lack' and 'shortage' are the most natural choices. Example: 'The area suffers from a lack of hospitals' means there are not enough; 'a shortage of hospitals' specifies the countable shortfall; 'an absence of hospitals' means there are none at all.

shortage ↗absence ↗deficiency ↗need ↗want ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

Adverbs

Phrases

  • for lack of
  • no lack of
  • through lack of
  • due to a lack of
  • suffer from a lack of

Prepositions

Etymology

Old NorseMiddle EnglishEnglish

The word 'lack' entered English from Middle English 'lak', meaning deficiency or blame. It likely came from Old Norse 'lak' (want, deficiency), related to 'lakr' (deficient, lacking). The verb form developed in Middle English from the noun, originally meaning 'to be wanting or missing'. The modern use covers both the state of not having enough and the act of being without something necessary.