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"lack" is also used as a crossword clue. If that's what you saw, the answer is often shortage (8 letters).
Definitions
To be without, or an absence of something.
Used in a sentence
“[…] let his lack of years be no impediment to let him lack a reverend estimation;”
“I went to a shrink, to analyze my dreams. He said it's lack of sex that's bringing me down.”
“My life lacks excitement.”
Source: Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0
Used as a crossword answer1 curated clues
01“Absence of something”4 letters
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