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

Extended deployments, supply shortfalls and mental health concerns aboard carriers are fueling calls to rethink the Navy’s reliance on the massive warships in an era of drones and missiles. — Ben Finley, Los Angeles Times, 15 Aug. 2026

The energy consultancy Rystad has projected that the region’s additional coal demand resulting from the LNG shortfall will be roughly 70 million tons in 2026. — Jason Bordoff, Foreign Affairs, 14 Aug. 2026

Hong's shortfall compared with public polling could temper the belief that progressives have hijacked the Democratic Party. — Garrett Downs,davis Giangiulio, CNBC, 13 Aug. 2026

In 2053, Britain is expected to have a shortfall of five billion litres of water per day, according to Baroness Brown, from the government’s advisory Climate Change Committee. — Will Barker, TheWeek, 13 Aug. 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