as in lack
a falling short of an essential or desirable amount or number
there was a troubling shortage of supplies for the troops overseas this year
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Recent Examples of shortage
While Mayor Brandon Johnson and Gov. JB Pritzker have touted housing availability and affordability as key concerns and priorities of their administrations, the task to overcome the city and state housing shortages has become a heftier one.
—
Lizzie Kane, Chicago Tribune, 24 June 2025
The euro had been weakening based on the notion that Europe would suffer more from any oil shortages in the Middle East.
—Jim Edwards, Fortune, 24 June 2025
That will require more tech-savvy technicians at a time when domestic manufacturers already face a labor shortage.
—Kristen Waggoner, MSNBC Newsweek, 24 June 2025
The disappearance of undocumented workers stands to exacerbate the labor shortage that has grown more pronounced in recent years as construction has been slowed by high interest rates and the rising cost of materials that could get even more expensive due to new tariffs.
—Roger Vincent, Los Angeles Times, 21 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for shortage
Lizzie Kane, Chicago Tribune, 24 June 2025
The euro had been weakening based on the notion that Europe would suffer more from any oil shortages in the Middle East.
—Jim Edwards, Fortune, 24 June 2025
That will require more tech-savvy technicians at a time when domestic manufacturers already face a labor shortage.
—Kristen Waggoner, MSNBC Newsweek, 24 June 2025
The disappearance of undocumented workers stands to exacerbate the labor shortage that has grown more pronounced in recent years as construction has been slowed by high interest rates and the rising cost of materials that could get even more expensive due to new tariffs.
—Roger Vincent, Los Angeles Times, 21 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for shortage
Recent Examples of Synonyms for shortage
Noun
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Overnight low temperatures are rising nearly twice as fast as afternoon highs, and this lack of relief during the night poses a significant health risk -- particularly for those without access to air conditioning, according to the assessment.—
Matthew Glasser,
ABC News,
30 June 2025
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Red Oak parent Maria Barraza previously warned that the consolidation would destroy the community built around Red Oak, and raised concerns about a lack of engagement from the district with the school’s Spanish-speaking families.—
Joseph States,
Chicago Tribune,
30 June 2025
Noun
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Grassley cited a Government Accountability Office report issued last year that detailed deficiencies in the program’s management dating back to 2009.—
Ryan J. Foley,
Los Angeles Times,
24 June 2025
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Studies show that patients not meeting the diagnostic criteria for testosterone deficiency are still being prescribed testosterone therapy, often based on vague symptoms.—
Alyssa Goldberg,
USA Today,
24 June 2025
Noun
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Though the scarcity of furry figurines is a central part of the Labubu ecoystem, reseller communities online and in local collector shops keep buyers hooked.—
Annette Choi,
CNN Money,
21 June 2025
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The Thunder are Oklahoma’s only big-league option — the scarcity has taken a region divided by college allegiances and coalesced that fandom behind one franchise.—
Andrew Greif,
NBC news,
19 June 2025
Noun
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The nonpartisan agency estimates that the House version would add $2.4 trillion to the national deficit over the next decade, although Republicans dispute this figure.—
Adeola Adeosun,
MSNBC Newsweek,
29 June 2025
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The Congressional Budget Office (CBO) scores the extension of Trump tax cuts as adding to the deficit under a current-law baseline.—
Alexander Bolton,
The Hill,
29 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Shortage.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/shortage. Accessed 4 Jul. 2025.
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