GRE Words for Lack and Scarcity
These 10 GRE words all share the meaning of lack and scarcity. Studying them as one cluster is far more efficient than learning each in isolation, because the GRE tests words by how they relate to each other. Each entry below links to a full definition page with example sentences and memory hooks.
Why this cluster matters
On Sentence Equivalence you must choose two words that give the sentence the same meaning. That means the answer is almost always a synonym pair pulled from a cluster like this one. Watch the connotation tone on each word: a positive and a negative word rarely form a correct pair, even when their definitions look close.
The 10 words
Deprived of or lacking something; suffering the loss of a loved one
A scarcity or lack of something
Not having enough of a specified quality or ingredient; inadequate
Not enough; inadequate
Lacking in quantity or quality; insufficient
The presence of something in only small or insufficient quantities
Barely sufficient or adequate
Insufficient for the demand; rare
Thinly dispersed or scattered; not dense
Lacking in a certain required quality; deficient
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