Basic+ Word of the Day: lack

lack (noun, verb) past tense: lacked

This room lacks furniture.

Lack is the absence of something needed or desirable.

• The lack of attention made the dog bark loudly.
• When Fred has a lack of sleep, he can't think clearly.

Lack means ‘to be in need of’ or ‘to be without.’

• Amanda's boss lacks leadership skills.
• Rick needs a new car, but he lacks the money to pay for one.
• What we lack in experience we make up for in enthusiasm.

Don't confuse it with

luck: good fortune. Example: “Claire had the good luck to win the lottery.”

Related words

lackluster: boring, not lively. Example: “The concert performance was lackluster; it seemed like the conductor lacked energy.”

In pop culture

Listen to Death Cab for Cutie sing “Lack of Color.” Perhaps someone who is lonely feels like the world lacks color. How do you interpret the title of this song?

There are other meanings of lack.