shortfall

noun

short·​fall ˈshȯrt-ˌfȯl 

: 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

This looming shortfall could prompt pre-retirees to consider early claiming. — Steve Vernon, Forbes.com, 2 July 2026

As demand grows, opticians are retiring at a faster rate than roles are being replaced, contributing to a shortfall of workers. — Casey Mann, Arkansas Online, 1 July 2026

But 14 million to 20 million showed up, a shortfall attributed to the media reports about the violence Rizzo was predicting. — Chris Brennan, USA Today, 2 July 2026

The city of Dallas announced Tuesday that General Fund employees will be required to take at least three furlough days to address the 2026 budget shortfall. — Briauna Brown, CBS News, 30 June 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1895, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for shortfall

• aldol
• armhole
• atoll
• awol
• backhaul
• banal
• baseball
• befall
• cabal
• catchall
• cecal
• centrale