as in deficiency
formal
a failure to get what is expected or needed
a shortfall in milk production profit shortfalls
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Recent Examples of shortfall
To ease energy shortfalls, the Philippines imported crude oil, a first since 2021.
—
ABC News, 30 Mar. 2026
Currently, expenses have outpaced our revenue due to past inaction, and the district is now facing an $80 million budget shortfall.
—Howard Hepburn, Sun Sentinel, 30 Mar. 2026
Groffenberger said the city’s deficit does not include the BPS shortfall, as the city and schools prep separate budgets.
—Gayla Cawley, Boston Herald, 30 Mar. 2026
Either of those could mean a withholding shortfall that might shrink a refund.
—Medora Lee, USA Today, 30 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for shortfall
ABC News, 30 Mar. 2026
Currently, expenses have outpaced our revenue due to past inaction, and the district is now facing an $80 million budget shortfall.
—Howard Hepburn, Sun Sentinel, 30 Mar. 2026
Groffenberger said the city’s deficit does not include the BPS shortfall, as the city and schools prep separate budgets.
—Gayla Cawley, Boston Herald, 30 Mar. 2026
Either of those could mean a withholding shortfall that might shrink a refund.
—Medora Lee, USA Today, 30 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for shortfall
Recent Examples of Synonyms for shortfall
Noun
-
This phase is designed to address deficiencies identified during initial operations, complete technical refinements, and implement maintenance or system adjustments before the platform transitions into a regular deployment cycle.—
Bojan Stojkovski,
Interesting Engineering,
4 Apr. 2026
-
At Pebble Creek at Lake Mary, 85 apartment units were condemned due to life-threatening deficiencies, and at the Rialto Apartments near Sand Lake Road, nearly 400 residents were evacuated due to structural instability.—
Keegan A. Berry,
The Orlando Sentinel,
3 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
The Indians erased an early 3-0 deficit with 3 runs in the second and 4 in the fourth.—
Darren Lauber,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
1 Apr. 2026
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Brown, who scuffled as a shooter for most of the game, caught fire late with two 3-pointers and an and-one midrange jumper that cut Boston’s deficit to eight with just over a minute remaining.—
Zack Cox,
Boston Herald,
31 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Shortfall.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/shortfall. Accessed 6 Apr. 2026.
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