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

But that shortfall obscured the strong performance and positive outlook of J & J's largest segment, Innovative Medicine. — Kevin Stankiewicz, CNBC, 13 Oct. 2026

Filing early does not protect your future checks from a funding shortfall. — Ray R. Harris, Fortune, 11 Oct. 2026

The United Nations Population Fund, or UNFPA, estimates that aid cuts will leave a $185 million shortfall in contraceptive funding globally this year. — ABC News, 9 Oct. 2026

The city faced a $1-billion budget shortfall in 2025 but, after various cost-cutting measures, managed to set aside funding for the LAPD to hire more than 500 new officers in the coming year. — Sean Greene, Los Angeles Times, 9 Oct. 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