FALLING SHORT Synonyms: 56 Similar and Opposite Words

falling short

phrase

present participle of fall short

as in failing

to be unsuccessful The movie fell short of its viewers' expectations.

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in falling flat

to go wrong The biography falls short by neglecting to explore the subject's faults as well as his virtues.

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

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.

Recent Examples of falling short At the same time, Bain & Company’s 2026 Automation and AI Pathfinder Survey found that AI budgets are growing even as many returns are falling short. — Brian Solis, Forbes.com, 27 July 2026 Last Year As mentioned, the Los Angeles Rams made it to the NFC Championship before falling short against the Seahawks. — David Troy Outkick, FOXNews.com, 26 July 2026 Net income was down from a year ago, falling short of forecasts, after the company spent big on AI and other research projects. — Chris Isidore, CNN Money, 22 July 2026 The reasons retirement savers cite for falling short include rising costs, credit card debt and competing expenses, the results found. — Lorie Konish, CNBC, 15 July 2026 Incomes falling short Non-homeowners need to earn just over $62,000 to afford a starter home. — Megan Cerullo, CBS News, 30 June 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for falling short

falling flat

Phrase

The trick to making the formula feel dynamic is mixing materials, as a blend of textures helps prevent your ensemble from falling flat.

— Kelsey Stewart, Glamour, 10 July 2026
But with Trump returning to office and previous Democratic attempts to rein in his power through impeachment falling flat, the kind of Trump accountability messages pushed by the incumbents didn’t stick among constituents.

— Nicholas Wu, semafor.com, 2 July 2026