found wanting
idiom
: lacking all that is needed or expected
The travel arrangements were found wanting.
Examples of found wanting in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Each has been ethically challenged and found wanting: Mr. Trump by his long experience in the New York real-estate world, Mr. Biden by his 36 years in the Senate.
—
Joseph Epstein, wsj.com, 2 May 2023
The outcome is school bookshelves devoid of books, because those that used to be there have been found wanting, or merely because no one has time to page through them in quest of textual nonconformities with white privilege.
—Michael Hiltzik, Los Angeles Times, 22 Feb. 2023
Your precious beliefs will be challenged and, at times, found wanting.
—Dede Henley, Forbes, 22 Jan. 2023
Born Joseph Alois Ratzinger in Germany in 1927, Benedict leaves behind a legacy admired by some and found wanting by others.
—Dallas News, 5 Jan. 2023
And in that aspect, the US has been found wanting in COP27, again.
—Soumya Sarkar, Quartz, 14 Nov. 2022
Though the first month on the project was bliss, by the second month Boniadi was more and more often found wanting.
—Chloe Walker, Longreads, 1 July 2022
Soon, however, sides were taken, and Matisse was found wanting.
—Vulture, 3 May 2022
The screenplay is found wanting when members start thinking about what the changes mean to them.
—Richard Kuipers, Variety, 3 Nov. 2021
These examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
illustrate current usage. Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of
Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback
about these examples.
Joseph Epstein, wsj.com, 2 May 2023
The outcome is school bookshelves devoid of books, because those that used to be there have been found wanting, or merely because no one has time to page through them in quest of textual nonconformities with white privilege.
—Michael Hiltzik, Los Angeles Times, 22 Feb. 2023
Your precious beliefs will be challenged and, at times, found wanting.
—Dede Henley, Forbes, 22 Jan. 2023
Born Joseph Alois Ratzinger in Germany in 1927, Benedict leaves behind a legacy admired by some and found wanting by others.
—Dallas News, 5 Jan. 2023
And in that aspect, the US has been found wanting in COP27, again.
—Soumya Sarkar, Quartz, 14 Nov. 2022
Though the first month on the project was bliss, by the second month Boniadi was more and more often found wanting.
—Chloe Walker, Longreads, 1 July 2022
Soon, however, sides were taken, and Matisse was found wanting.
—Vulture, 3 May 2022
The screenplay is found wanting when members start thinking about what the changes mean to them.
—Richard Kuipers, Variety, 3 Nov. 2021
Dictionary Entries Near found wanting
Cite this Entry
“Found wanting.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/found%20wanting. Accessed 17 Nov. 2024.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share