as in lacks
a falling short of an essential or desirable amount or number
there was a troubling shortage of supplies for the troops overseas this year
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Recent Examples of shortages
The World Health Organization warned on Thursday that critical shortages of blood in Gaza hospitals could see force services to grind to a halt within days.
—
Reuters, NBC news, 19 Sep. 2025
Implementing either policy would harm patients and cause distressing drug shortages and access issues.
—Wayne Winegarden, Forbes.com, 18 Sep. 2025
The demands on health care are growing amid aging populations, labor shortages and rising costs.
—Lauren Giella, MSNBC Newsweek, 17 Sep. 2025
Unless immigration flows stabilize, the Fed may find that cushioning demand with lower rates won’t fully repair hiring, especially in sectors reliant on immigrant labor such as manufacturing or agriculture and in regions already flashing shortages.
—Eva Roytburg, Fortune, 17 Sep. 2025
To date, neither project has achieved even one percent of its targets, with rocket shortages threatening to slow deployment.
—Kaif Shaikh, Interesting Engineering, 17 Sep. 2025
As the country has plunged into deep poverty, the government has also aggressively gone after those protesting the frequent blackouts and food shortages.
—Nora Gamez Torres, Miami Herald, 17 Sep. 2025
With rising costs, labor shortages and a push for more sustainable building methods, this kind of breakthrough could shape the future of American neighborhoods.
—Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 10 Sep. 2025
Mabe said chronic staffing shortages must be fixed.
—Laura A. Bischoff, The Enquirer, 27 Dec. 2024
Reuters, NBC news, 19 Sep. 2025
Implementing either policy would harm patients and cause distressing drug shortages and access issues.
—Wayne Winegarden, Forbes.com, 18 Sep. 2025
The demands on health care are growing amid aging populations, labor shortages and rising costs.
—Lauren Giella, MSNBC Newsweek, 17 Sep. 2025
Unless immigration flows stabilize, the Fed may find that cushioning demand with lower rates won’t fully repair hiring, especially in sectors reliant on immigrant labor such as manufacturing or agriculture and in regions already flashing shortages.
—Eva Roytburg, Fortune, 17 Sep. 2025
To date, neither project has achieved even one percent of its targets, with rocket shortages threatening to slow deployment.
—Kaif Shaikh, Interesting Engineering, 17 Sep. 2025
As the country has plunged into deep poverty, the government has also aggressively gone after those protesting the frequent blackouts and food shortages.
—Nora Gamez Torres, Miami Herald, 17 Sep. 2025
With rising costs, labor shortages and a push for more sustainable building methods, this kind of breakthrough could shape the future of American neighborhoods.
—Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 10 Sep. 2025
Mabe said chronic staffing shortages must be fixed.
—Laura A. Bischoff, The Enquirer, 27 Dec. 2024
Recent Examples of Synonyms for shortages
Noun
-
This absence — of God, of love, of plain community spirit — is a metaphor for the whole parish, where everyone is defined by their own lacks and deficiencies, the weaknesses that cause Wicks to despise them and vow to bring down them all.—
Damon Wise,
Deadline,
6 Sep. 2025
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But Davies’s film has a patience and lightness of touch that Scorsese’s lacks, as well as a note-perfect lead in Gillian Anderson.—
Elle Carroll,
Vulture,
11 Aug. 2025
Noun
-
Poor sleep quality, stress, head injuries, nutrient deficiencies, aging, alcohol use or medication side effects are all common culprits, says Mander.—
Daryl Austin,
USA Today,
19 Sep. 2025
-
But some key deficiencies in how the action is designed make frustrating errors a recurrence.—
Christopher Cruz,
Rolling Stone,
18 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
These changes, rooted in frustrations with two decades of monetary policy, signal a clear escalation in risk against the current economic backdrop of rising deficits, deglobalization, and potential material shortages.—
Bob Haber,
Forbes.com,
15 Sep. 2025
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Drought concerns in the Midwest and Northeast Widespread moderate drought has developed recently in the Midwest, Mid-Atlantic, and Northeast, where precipitation during August was well below normal (rainfall deficits of 3 to 5 inches).—
Doyle Rice,
USA Today,
14 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
In addition to political persecution, returning Venezuelans would reenter a country teetering on collapse—maligned by hyperinflation, soaring unemployment, rampant crime, frequent power outages, water shortages and chronic scarcities of food and medicine.—
Antonio Maria Delgado,
Miami Herald,
3 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Shortages.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/shortages. Accessed 21 Sep. 2025.
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