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
Army recruitment crisis spawns 'future soldier' course In 2022, as years of shortfall in recruiting numbers compounded into a crisis, the Army test-launched the Future Soldier prep course, a boot camp-style program to quickly pull up recruits who don't meet academic or physical standards.
—
Cybele Mayes-Osterman, USA Today, 6 Sep. 2025
Under the rule, if employees did not report tips amounting to at least 8% of the company’s gross receipts, the employer had to report the shortfall on Forms W-2.
—Kelly Phillips Erb, Forbes.com, 6 Sep. 2025
While Levine Cava said her administration closed a $402 million gap at the start of the budget process, forecasts show future shortfalls peaking at $250 million in 2030.
—Douglas Hanks, Miami Herald, 5 Sep. 2025
It is also located in a state that is facing a budget shortfall of $20 billion out of a total of just over $200 billion, with long-term fiscal problems and politics that stand in the way of solutions.
—Reed Albergotti, semafor.com, 5 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for shortfall
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Cybele Mayes-Osterman, USA Today, 6 Sep. 2025
Under the rule, if employees did not report tips amounting to at least 8% of the company’s gross receipts, the employer had to report the shortfall on Forms W-2.
—Kelly Phillips Erb, Forbes.com, 6 Sep. 2025
While Levine Cava said her administration closed a $402 million gap at the start of the budget process, forecasts show future shortfalls peaking at $250 million in 2030.
—Douglas Hanks, Miami Herald, 5 Sep. 2025
It is also located in a state that is facing a budget shortfall of $20 billion out of a total of just over $200 billion, with long-term fiscal problems and politics that stand in the way of solutions.
—Reed Albergotti, semafor.com, 5 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for shortfall
Cite this Entry
“Shortfall.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/shortfall. Accessed 8 Sep. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share