caught short
idiom
1
: not having enough of something
Make sure you stock up on supplies before you set out on your trip. Don't be caught short!
2
British, informal
: having a sudden urge to use the toilet
Examples of caught short in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Combining derivative creation in a new asset class with high leverage multiples can create a situation that can leave investors caught short in times of market uncertainty or downturns.
—
Sean Stein Smith, Forbes, 25 Feb. 2024
New deals from the country had already been drying up as traders didn’t want to risk getting caught short of the agreement’s deadline, said Matt Ammermann, commodity risk manager at StoneX.
—Megan Durisin, Áine Quinn and Daryna Krasnolutska, Anchorage Daily News, 31 Oct. 2022
But don’t get caught short in October— subscribe to WIRED here at a fantastic discount.
—Steven Levy, Wired, 11 Sep. 2020
Even companies that planned for an omicron-like event have been caught short, calling for some radical — and costly— measures to keep the flow going.
—Time, 8 Jan. 2022
Health and Human Services was caught short on bed space in licensed state facilities, partly, because of the pandemic and social distancing requirements.
—Dianne Solis, Dallas News, 8 Apr. 2021
Some fans were caught short by the stadium’s strict, and apparently last-minute, bag policy — forcing them to either take their purses back to their cars or check their bags.
—Palak Jayswal, The Salt Lake Tribune, 6 Aug. 2022
Others are ordering extra now to avoid being caught short if the talks flag, which only adds to strain on the system.
—Washington Post, 15 Jan. 2022
Southwest has blamed bad weather, but the airline appeared to be caught short on staffing.
—David Koenig, Chron, 27 Aug. 2021
Sean Stein Smith, Forbes, 25 Feb. 2024
New deals from the country had already been drying up as traders didn’t want to risk getting caught short of the agreement’s deadline, said Matt Ammermann, commodity risk manager at StoneX.
—Megan Durisin, Áine Quinn and Daryna Krasnolutska, Anchorage Daily News, 31 Oct. 2022
But don’t get caught short in October— subscribe to WIRED here at a fantastic discount.
—Steven Levy, Wired, 11 Sep. 2020
Even companies that planned for an omicron-like event have been caught short, calling for some radical — and costly— measures to keep the flow going.
—Time, 8 Jan. 2022
Health and Human Services was caught short on bed space in licensed state facilities, partly, because of the pandemic and social distancing requirements.
—Dianne Solis, Dallas News, 8 Apr. 2021
Some fans were caught short by the stadium’s strict, and apparently last-minute, bag policy — forcing them to either take their purses back to their cars or check their bags.
—Palak Jayswal, The Salt Lake Tribune, 6 Aug. 2022
Others are ordering extra now to avoid being caught short if the talks flag, which only adds to strain on the system.
—Washington Post, 15 Jan. 2022
Southwest has blamed bad weather, but the airline appeared to be caught short on staffing.
—David Koenig, Chron, 27 Aug. 2021
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'caught short.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near caught short
Cite this Entry
“Caught short.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/caught%20short. Accessed 18 Apr. 2024.
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