bristande

Bristande is a Swedish adjective meaning lacking, deficient, or incomplete. It is used to describe something that does not meet expected standards or requirements, such as evidence, reasoning, planning, documentation, or performance.

The word is formed from the noun brist, meaning shortage or lack, with the participle suffix -ande. It functions as an attributive modifier before a noun (bristande kommunikation) or as a predicative adjective (Rapporten var bristande). The term often carries a formal or analytic tone and is common in evaluations, reports, and policy discussions.

Usage notes: bristande typically describes conditions or quality that are insufficient rather than intentionally deceptive. It can imply credibility, reliability, or adequacy issues without alleging malice. In some contexts, a stronger term such as bristfällig (faulty, defective) may be used to emphasize concrete faults or operational failures.

See also: brist, bristfällig, fullständig. Related expressions include phrases like bristande bevis (insufficient evidence) or bristande följd (lacking consequences). Bristande is a flexible descriptive tool in formal Swedish, suitable for assessments of processes, statements, or outcomes where gaps are evident but could be remedied.