Synonyms of falls short

falls short

phrase

present tense third-person singular of fall short

1

as in fails

to be unsuccessful

The movie fell short of its viewers' expectations.

Synonyms & Similar Words

• fails
• collapses
• flops
• folds
• falls flat
• struggles
• lays an egg
• misses
• bombs
• strikes out
• comes to grief
• comes up empty
• tanks
• flames out
• comes a cropper
• founders
• falls on one's face
• washes out
• dies on the vine
• flunks
• craters
• declines
• crashes
• goes under
• slips
• skids
• slumps
• crumbles
• flounders
• wanes
• misfires
• miscarries
• sinks
• implodes
• self-destructs

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• goes over
• works out
• goes
• comes off
• succeeds
• delivers
• clicks
• pans out
• cooks
• thrives
• flourishes
• prevails
• prospers
• wins
• triumphs

2

as in falls flat

to go wrong

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

• falls flat
• fails
• comes to grief
• misfires
• stalls
• comes a cropper
• miscarries
• dies
• misses
• struggles
• flops
• founders
• folds
• crashes
• breaks down
• tanks
• flames out
• bombs
• skids
• wanes
• flounders
• slips
• flunks
• washes out
• slumps
• fizzles
• busts
• conks (out)
• declines

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• prevails
• succeeds
• thrives
• flourishes
• prospers

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of falls short

If the tax revenue tied to the stadium project falls short, the city could need to cover the cost from other sources — potentially taking money away from other city priorities. — Chris Higgins, Kansas City Star, 7 Sep. 2026

Make sure any profit from future sales will be enough to cover your financing costs — including interest and fees — even if demand falls short of your expectations. — Carson Brunson, CNBC, 31 Aug. 2026

That is where so much of the current AI conversation still falls short. — Glenn Llopis, Forbes.com, 29 Aug. 2026

An insurance deal falls short of promises Kennedy again took to the HHS stage in June 2025, this time with Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services Administrator Mehmet Oz, to make what was billed as a game-changing announcement. — Stephanie Armour, CBS News, 25 Aug. 2026

Max Meizlish, a former Treasury official and research fellow at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, said outright that Monday’s announcement falls short of the objective. — Christian Datoc, The Washington Examiner, 24 Aug. 2026

The agreement falls short of the entertainment industry’s goal of a full exemption from a $5 million annual cap on corporate tax credits, according to multiple sources. — Gene Maddaus, Variety, 18 Aug. 2026

But Hastings argued that getting too close makes employees feel protected, even when their performance falls short. — Preston Fore, Fortune, 18 Aug. 2026

Boston’s 4-star designation falls short of the highest 5-star welcoming rating for immigrant inclusion. — Gayla Cawley, Boston Herald, 17 Aug. 2026