short of

preposition

: other than

especially : of a lesser degree than

had few options short of replacing the motor

Examples of short of in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Speaking on July 23, Unification Minister Chung Dong-young said Seoul is now aiming to first freeze North Korea's current nuclear program, offering reciprocal concessions for interim steps short of full disarmament. — Se Eun Gong, NPR, 3 Aug. 2026

Valero Energy's earnings were up over 400% for the quarter compared to last year in world that Valero estimates is still five million barrels short per day of global refining capacity and over 100 million barrels short of oil inventories. — Hillary Jackson, CNBC, 2 Aug. 2026

Henseleit then had the advantage in the playoff when the 23-year-old from Japan was in deep grass short of a bunker and had to lay up short of the green. — ABC News, 2 Aug. 2026

Abdelkarim hadn’t expected to go to the World Cup, but Egypt are undergoing a generational change themselves, leaving them short of strikers. — Laia Cervelló Herrero, New York Times, 2 Aug. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1560, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for short of

• above
• foxglove
• hereof
• thereof
• whereof
• dove
• glove
• love
• shove
• hereinabove