as in weaknesses
a defect in character
a wife who never tires of listing her husband's perceived shortcomings
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Recent Examples of shortcomings
And even newer backup technologies face shortcomings; for instance, visual systems can fail because of cloud cover or when used over water.
—
Paul Smith-Goodson, Forbes.com, 18 Sep. 2025
Following yet another collapse on Tuesday night in which the Dodgers turned a 4-0 lead and no-hitter through five innings into a 9-6 loss, manager Dave Roberts was asked to dissect his bullpen's shortcomings.
—Noah Camras, MSNBC Newsweek, 17 Sep. 2025
But some were clear shortcomings in coverage.
—Alex Zietlow, Charlotte Observer, 17 Sep. 2025
Watching the ramifications of climate change play out in the real world has both validated the models and highlighted their shortcomings.
—Zack Savitsky, Quanta Magazine, 15 Sep. 2025
How willing Mazzulla is to accept Simons’ shortcomings at that end could dictate the 26-year-old’s role.
—Zack Cox, Boston Herald, 15 Sep. 2025
Until the Steelers eradicate the warts, the same shortcomings will continue to shape the outcome of games.
—Mike Defabo, New York Times, 15 Sep. 2025
The current Razorback defenders are well aware of the shortcomings in last year’s game.
—Tom Murphy, Arkansas Online, 12 Sep. 2025
But its shortcomings may not have been limited to the science, as a lawsuit alleges that its preparation violated a law that regulates the activities of federal advisory panels.
—Nate Anderson, ArsTechnica, 12 Sep. 2025
Paul Smith-Goodson, Forbes.com, 18 Sep. 2025
Following yet another collapse on Tuesday night in which the Dodgers turned a 4-0 lead and no-hitter through five innings into a 9-6 loss, manager Dave Roberts was asked to dissect his bullpen's shortcomings.
—Noah Camras, MSNBC Newsweek, 17 Sep. 2025
But some were clear shortcomings in coverage.
—Alex Zietlow, Charlotte Observer, 17 Sep. 2025
Watching the ramifications of climate change play out in the real world has both validated the models and highlighted their shortcomings.
—Zack Savitsky, Quanta Magazine, 15 Sep. 2025
How willing Mazzulla is to accept Simons’ shortcomings at that end could dictate the 26-year-old’s role.
—Zack Cox, Boston Herald, 15 Sep. 2025
Until the Steelers eradicate the warts, the same shortcomings will continue to shape the outcome of games.
—Mike Defabo, New York Times, 15 Sep. 2025
The current Razorback defenders are well aware of the shortcomings in last year’s game.
—Tom Murphy, Arkansas Online, 12 Sep. 2025
But its shortcomings may not have been limited to the science, as a lawsuit alleges that its preparation violated a law that regulates the activities of federal advisory panels.
—Nate Anderson, ArsTechnica, 12 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for shortcomings
Noun
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With cybercriminals already having stolen over $2 billion in 2025, according to DeFiLlama, a 77% increase from 2024, the weaknesses of the DeFi ecosystem continue to prove lucrative for hackers and other criminal elements.—
Sean Stein Smith,
Forbes.com,
13 Sep. 2025
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But football evolves, and opponents will work out a team’s strengths and turn them into weaknesses.—
Jacob Tanswell,
New York Times,
11 Sep. 2025
Noun
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The defroster and defogger system shuts off during certain HVAC system faults, such as electrical compressor failure, due to the programming of the HVAC and ECU software, according to the recall report.—
James Powel,
USA Today,
15 Sep. 2025
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The Venezuelan government’s faults abound.—
Gisela Salim-Peyer,
The Atlantic,
12 Sep. 2025
Noun
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This début novel of Southern small-town life considers the hypocrisies forged in patriarchy’s crucible and the difficulty of reckoning with a father’s sins.—
The New Yorker,
New Yorker,
15 Sep. 2025
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Among dentists, it's treated as one of the great sins, right up there with sugar before bed or smoking cigarettes.—
Tiana Randall,
Forbes.com,
9 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Shortcomings.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/shortcomings. Accessed 20 Sep. 2025.
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