Meaning
lack, shortage, deficiency, want
- absence
- fault, mistake, slip
- defect, failing
In a sentence
La mancanza di tempo mi stressa ogni giorno.
The lack of time stresses me every day.
Hai sentito la sua mancanza durante la festa?
Did you miss him during the party?
Per una mia mancanza, abbiamo perso il treno.
Because of my mistake, we missed the train.
Word forms (2)
| Word | Word forms |
|---|---|
| mancanza | feminine · singular |
| mancanze | feminine · plural |
Usage notes
- Use mancanza di + noun for missing things: mancanza di tempo, fondi, esperienza. More neutral and common than carenza in everyday speech.
- For a person's absence, assenza is usually more natural in formal contexts; mancanza often sounds more emotional or broader.
- Mancanza can mean a personal failing: una mancanza di rispetto. Don't confuse it with a simple factual absence.