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
In April 2009, a unanimous council — including first-year member Todd Gloria — embraced Sanders’ plan to impose a 6% cut in pay and benefits for city workers, cutting the shortfall in half.
—
U T Editorial Board, San Diego Union-Tribune, 18 Apr. 2026
That shortfall and the news that co-founder and longtime ex-CEO Reed Hastings is leaving the board of directors and ending his three-decade association with the company he co-founded, sent shares down after hours Thursday.
—Dade Hayes, Deadline, 17 Apr. 2026
The nurse said management is still tripling assignments in the ICU and that the hospital is pulling nurses from other units to cover the shortfall who are not trained to work in the ICU.
—Livi Stanford, Hartford Courant, 16 Apr. 2026
Some of her spending plans over the last year have been limited by a budget shortfall, which led to cuts at the bureaus of engineering, transportation, street lighting and street services, among others.
—Ian James, Los Angeles Times, 16 Apr. 2026
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.
U T Editorial Board, San Diego Union-Tribune, 18 Apr. 2026
That shortfall and the news that co-founder and longtime ex-CEO Reed Hastings is leaving the board of directors and ending his three-decade association with the company he co-founded, sent shares down after hours Thursday.
—Dade Hayes, Deadline, 17 Apr. 2026
The nurse said management is still tripling assignments in the ICU and that the hospital is pulling nurses from other units to cover the shortfall who are not trained to work in the ICU.
—Livi Stanford, Hartford Courant, 16 Apr. 2026
Some of her spending plans over the last year have been limited by a budget shortfall, which led to cuts at the bureaus of engineering, transportation, street lighting and street services, among others.
—Ian James, Los Angeles Times, 16 Apr. 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 21 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
