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
The looming departures add pressure to an industry already contending with 350,000 open positions — a shortfall that’s expected to grow in coming years as the nation ages.
—
Tami Luhby, CNN Money, 1 Feb. 2026
The Legislative Analyst’s Office estimates the state will have an $18-billion budget shortfall in the upcoming fiscal year.
—Los Angeles Times, 1 Feb. 2026
This year, with elections looming, lawmakers might be tempted to make up shortfalls from politically motivated mistakes by short-changing programs that benefit Florida’s most vulnerable residents.
—Orlando Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 31 Jan. 2026
If the news of a $43 million shortfall was a tsunami, then Thursday’s news is a bomb.
—Jennah Pendleton, Sacbee.com, 30 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for shortfall
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Tami Luhby, CNN Money, 1 Feb. 2026
The Legislative Analyst’s Office estimates the state will have an $18-billion budget shortfall in the upcoming fiscal year.
—Los Angeles Times, 1 Feb. 2026
This year, with elections looming, lawmakers might be tempted to make up shortfalls from politically motivated mistakes by short-changing programs that benefit Florida’s most vulnerable residents.
—Orlando Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 31 Jan. 2026
If the news of a $43 million shortfall was a tsunami, then Thursday’s news is a bomb.
—Jennah Pendleton, Sacbee.com, 30 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for shortfall
Cite this Entry
“Shortfall.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/shortfall. Accessed 4 Feb. 2026.
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