What does deficient mean?
Deficient means Lacking something essential; often construed with in..
Deficient
/dɪˈfɪʃənt/ · adjective
Meaning
Lacking something essential; often construed with in..
Definitions by Sense
- Lacking something essential; often construed with in.
- Insufficient or inadequate in amount.
- (mathematics) Of a number n, Having the sum of divisors σ(n)<2n, or, equivalently, the sum of proper divisors (or aliquot sum) s(n)<n.
- A person who is deficient.
Example Sentences
They were deficient in social skills.
Apothecia lecanoroid; multilocular; each cell containing a single theke; paraphyses deficient.
This was justified by the rationale that mental deficients, by definition, are not able to succeed in society.
Synonyms for deficient
Antonyms for deficient
Related Words
Word Forms
- more deficient
- most deficient
- deficients
Usage Notes
Choose a synonym only when it preserves the intended meaning, tone, and grammar of the full sentence.
Practice and Learn More
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a synonym for deficient?
Common synonyms include absent, poor in, void of, awanting.
What is the opposite of deficient?
Possible antonyms include sufficient.
How do you use deficient in a sentence?
They were deficient in social skills.
Sources & Attribution
FreeDictionaryAPI.com / Wiktionary · Original source · CC BY-SA 4.0
Dictionary data is provided by FreeDictionaryAPI.com and sourced from Wiktionary under its stated license.