lack thereof

phrase

formal
—used to say that there is not enough of the thing that has been mentioned
The problem is money, or (a/the) lack thereof.

Examples of lack thereof in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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The reports of accelerating price hikes come just weeks before the midterms, where affordability – or lack thereof – is expected to factor in heavily for US voters. — Alicia Wallace, CNN Money, 15 Oct. 2026 Teams have to be licking their chops after seeing what Tampa Bay did to Dallas last Thursday night, especially considering the defense (or lack thereof) that the Cowboys have shown through five weeks. — Jonathan Rubin, Charlotte Observer, 14 Oct. 2026 Stipe added some vague details about the album’s politics (or lack thereof) as well. — Alex Suskind, Pitchfork, 13 Oct. 2026 The people repeating this line are either haters or can't see past highlights (or their lack thereof). — Mario Cortegana, New York Times, 10 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for lack thereof

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Cite this Entry

“Lack thereof.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/lack%20thereof. Accessed 20 Oct. 2026.

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