shortfall

noun

short·​fall ˈshȯrt-ˌfȯl How to pronounce shortfall (audio)
Synonyms of shortfallnext
: a failure to come up to expectation or need
a budget shortfall
also : the amount of such failure
a $2 million shortfall

Examples of shortfall in a Sentence

a shortfall in milk production
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Social Security faces a shortfall as soon as 2032. Fernando Cervantes Jr, USA Today, 22 June 2026 The University of Wyoming is similarly facing a $15 million shortfall next year, due to shrinking enrollment, inflation and falling investment. Tristan Bove, Fortune, 20 June 2026 Most recently, in April, a funding shortfall strained the supply of medicine, according to the two correctional health staff members who requested anonymity. Gavin J. Quinton, Los Angeles Times, 19 June 2026 But Congress has taken little action despite years of warnings about the impending shortfall. Bob Carlson, Forbes.com, 19 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for shortfall

Word History

First Known Use

1895, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of shortfall was in 1895

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Cite this Entry

“Shortfall.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/shortfall. Accessed 23 Jun. 2026.

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