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Word

deficiency

noun C1
/dɪˈfɪʃənsi/

Meanings

noun

a lack or shortage of something needed, expected, or required

deficiency: a lack or shortage of something needed, expected, or required
noun

a weakness or failing in ability, quality, or performance

deficiency: a weakness or failing in ability, quality, or performance
noun

the amount by which something falls short of what is required or planned

deficiency: the amount by which something falls short of what is required or planned

Definition

A deficiency is a lack or shortage of something needed or expected.

A deficiency is the state of not having enough of something important, such as money, time, skills, or resources. It often suggests that the shortage causes a problem or makes performance weaker than it should be. In formal contexts, it can also refer to a failure to meet a required standard or a gap between what exists and what is needed.

Examples

  • The audit revealed a deficiency in record-keeping that had gone unnoticed for months.
  • I recognized a deficiency in my listening skills after joining an international project team.
  • Their proposal addresses the deficiency in public transport by adding late-night routes.
  • She treated the deficiency in the design as a solvable constraint rather than a fatal flaw.

Common mistake

Learners sometimes confuse deficiency with defect, but deficiency usually means a lack or shortage, while defect typically means a flaw in something that exists.

More at C1 level

More nouns