Deficient
mediumNegative tonedih-FISH-unt
adjective
Definition
Not having enough of a specified quality or ingredient; inadequate
Memory hook
DE-FICIENT: not SUFFICIENT — lacking in what is needed, falling short.
Word roots
deficere— to fail/be lacking(Latin)
Learning roots unlocks whole word families. Study common GRE root words.
Examples
“The diet was deficient in essential vitamins.”
“The report was deficient in supporting evidence.”
Test yourself
Fill in the blank with the right word:
“The diet was ______ in essential vitamins.”
Show answer
deficient
Synonyms
Antonyms
Categories
GRE Tip
Deficient is a medium-difficulty GRE word. On the GRE, you might see it paired with synonyms like "inadequate" or "insufficient" in Sentence Equivalence questions. Look for contrast clues (however, despite, although) that signal the opposite meaning. Words like "abundant".
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