deficient
adjective
1. inadequate in amount or degree
- a deficient education
- deficient in common sense
Similar word(s): inadequate, unequal, lacking, wanting
2. of a quantity not able to fulfill a need or requirement
Similar word(s): meager, meagerly, meagre, scrimpy, stingy, depleted, low, inadequate, jejune, poor, short, lean, skimpy, light, scant, shy, insufficient
3. falling short of some prescribed norm
Similar word(s): nonstandard, inferior, substandard