shortcoming

noun

ˈshȯrt-ˌkə-miŋ How to pronounce shortcoming (audio)
Definition of shortcomingnext
as in weakness
a defect in character a wife who never tires of listing her husband's perceived shortcomings

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of shortcoming Republican lawmakers acknowledged shortcomings in their proposals to eliminate the income tax and raise the bar for amending the state Constitution. — Jack Harvel, Kansas City Star, 20 Aug. 2026 But the story’s shortcomings rise to the surface in due course, especially when Elise (Lin Shaye) — the franchise’s most beloved character, now deceased — re-enters the picture as a ghost who helps people like Gemma find their way back home. — Tomris Laffly, Variety, 19 Aug. 2026 In the old days, there would be a congressional investigation into such shortcomings. — Voice Of The People, New York Daily News, 18 Aug. 2026 This level is often what challenges character development, revealing shortcomings that were not present in less challenging contexts. — Mary Crossan, Forbes.com, 17 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for shortcoming
Recent Examples of Synonyms for shortcoming
  1. weakness
  2. fault
  3. sin
  4. deficiency
  5. failing
Noun
  • Question Ford is not alone in exposing the offensive line weakness on the depth chart.
    — Paul Dehner Jr, New York Times, 23 Aug. 2026
  • According to Briggs, work has become synonymous with busyness and resting is seen as a sign of weakness or something taken only as an extreme reward.
    — John Hall, Forbes.com, 23 Aug. 2026
Definition of weakness
Noun
  • Deadly fires, often linked to electrical faults or gas cylinder explosions, are common in India where investigators have frequently pointed to safety lapses and inadequate enforcement of fire regulations as contributing to recurring loss of life.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 19 Aug. 2026
  • If Russia behaved badly, that was the fault of its primitive and cruel Asian side, a notion that conveniently created the fiction that Western countries are not capable of similar cruelty.
    — Foreign Affairs, Foreign Affairs, 18 Aug. 2026
Definition of fault
Noun
  • In the final season, as the survivors race to bury their sins before rescue arrives and an old flame roars back into town with plans of her own.
    — Denise Petski, Deadline, 20 Aug. 2026
  • And when that dish is chicken, the sin here is serving a dry bird.
    — Katelyn Umholtz, Kansas City Star, 19 Aug. 2026
Definition of sin
Noun
  • Ultimately, underperformance often signals leadership deficiencies, including poor recruitment and inadequate team management, rather than external market forces.
    — Bill Holmes, Forbes.com, 21 Aug. 2026
  • Some experts have interpreted this update as focusing on optimizing health as opposed to ensuring adequate protein intake to avoid deficiency.
    — Linda M. Boland, The Conversation, 21 Aug. 2026
Definition of deficiency
Noun
  • That Chansiri squandered that vast backing can be listed among his abundant failings.
    — Philip Buckingham, New York Times, 14 Aug. 2026
  • Rather than treating a tired parent’s short fuse as a personal failing, the research suggests sleep, stress and parenting operate as part of a larger system.
    — Samantha Agate, Charlotte Observer, 11 Aug. 2026
Definition of failing

Browse Nearby Words

short-circuits
shortcoming
shortcomings
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Shortcoming.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/shortcoming. Accessed 25 Aug. 2026.

Copy Citation
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of tilde

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

How to Pronounce the Trickiest Menu Items

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

Words from the 'Odyssey'

The Longest Long Words List

Even More Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

The Words of the Week - Aug. 21

16 Glee-ridden Words from Schitt's Creek
See More

Popular

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

Words from the 'Odyssey'

The Longest Long Words List
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
alt-684346df967d5
Add A Letter Quiz Pick the letter that goes in the same spot in fou...
See All