shortage

noun

short·​age ˈshȯr-tij 

: lack, deficit

Synonyms of shortage

• lack
• deficiency
• scarcity

Examples of shortage in a Sentence

there was a troubling shortage of supplies for the troops overseas this year

Recent Examples on the Web

Hundreds of thousands of families were left without power overnight as Moscow sought to exploit Ukraine's shortage of air defenses, Zelenskyy said in a post on social media. — Hanna Arhirova, Arkansas Online, 2 Nov. 2026

Intel also flagged a shortage of advanced organic substrates that is limiting chip output. — Kevin Stankiewicz, CNBC, 1 Nov. 2026

Sunday’s attacks cut electricity in two northern towns, shutting markets and bakeries and threatening hospitals, water supplies and winter crops as diesel shortages leave few alternatives. — Hamza Fahmy, Los Angeles Times, 1 Nov. 2026

Other drivers often cited for such increases include a rise in overall medical care costs and general inflation, and labor shortages. — Julie Appleby, NPR, 1 Nov. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1868, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing shortage

• no shortage of

Rhymes for shortage

• reportage

Kids Definition

shortage

noun

short·​age ˈshȯrt-ij 

: a lack in the amount needed : deficit

a shortage of cash

a gasoline shortage