as in lacks
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 shortages
By last winter, after significant reconstruction, rolling blackouts were rare, and power shortages were mostly localized.
—
Ken Silverstein, Forbes.com, 11 Sep. 2025
With rising costs, labor shortages and a push for more sustainable building methods, this kind of breakthrough could shape the future of American neighborhoods.
—Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 10 Sep. 2025
The companies have since resolved those shortages.
—Annika Kim Constantino,ashley Capoot, CNBC, 10 Sep. 2025
Since last year, the electricity company has been able to meet only about half the daily demand because of oil shortages and power plants going offline, authorities have said.
—Nora Gamez Torres, Miami Herald, 10 Sep. 2025
But in some regions where data centers are concentrated—and especially in regions already facing shortages—the strain on local water systems can be significant.
—Shaolei Ren, IEEE Spectrum, 10 Sep. 2025
At Tomah, the report showed a similar breakdown, with nine shortages among clinical staff and five nonclinical.
—Natalie Eilbert, jsonline.com, 4 Sep. 2025
At Aboutengue, Saman documented how limited access to clean water, shortages of food, and overstretched health services compound the trauma of displacement.
—Charlie Campbell, Time, 4 Sep. 2025
Mabe said chronic staffing shortages must be fixed.
—Laura A. Bischoff, The Enquirer, 27 Dec. 2024
Ken Silverstein, Forbes.com, 11 Sep. 2025
With rising costs, labor shortages and a push for more sustainable building methods, this kind of breakthrough could shape the future of American neighborhoods.
—Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 10 Sep. 2025
The companies have since resolved those shortages.
—Annika Kim Constantino,ashley Capoot, CNBC, 10 Sep. 2025
Since last year, the electricity company has been able to meet only about half the daily demand because of oil shortages and power plants going offline, authorities have said.
—Nora Gamez Torres, Miami Herald, 10 Sep. 2025
But in some regions where data centers are concentrated—and especially in regions already facing shortages—the strain on local water systems can be significant.
—Shaolei Ren, IEEE Spectrum, 10 Sep. 2025
At Tomah, the report showed a similar breakdown, with nine shortages among clinical staff and five nonclinical.
—Natalie Eilbert, jsonline.com, 4 Sep. 2025
At Aboutengue, Saman documented how limited access to clean water, shortages of food, and overstretched health services compound the trauma of displacement.
—Charlie Campbell, Time, 4 Sep. 2025
Mabe said chronic staffing shortages must be fixed.
—Laura A. Bischoff, The Enquirer, 27 Dec. 2024
Recent Examples of Synonyms for shortages
Noun
-
This absence — of God, of love, of plain community spirit — is a metaphor for the whole parish, where everyone is defined by their own lacks and deficiencies, the weaknesses that cause Wicks to despise them and vow to bring down them all.—
Damon Wise,
Deadline,
6 Sep. 2025
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But Davies’s film has a patience and lightness of touch that Scorsese’s lacks, as well as a note-perfect lead in Gillian Anderson.—
Elle Carroll,
Vulture,
11 Aug. 2025
Noun
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Aside from not having Worthy, the most significant concern for the Chiefs coming out of Brazil was deficiencies in the pass defense, which saw Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert throw for 318 yards and three touchdowns.—
Pete Sweeney,
Kansas City Star,
11 Sep. 2025
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The 2024 report is based on information from 77,688 containers inspected, where 8,850 were found to have deficiencies.—
Glenn Taylor,
Sourcing Journal,
10 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
Both levels are far above EU rules demanding that individual members’ deficits should not exceed 3% of GDP, while their public debt should not surpass 60% of economic output.—
Holly Ellyatt,
CNBC,
10 Sep. 2025
-
The European Union has a 3% limit on budget deficits for countries that use the euro.—
Miranda Jeyaretnam,
Time,
9 Sep. 2025
Noun
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In addition to political persecution, returning Venezuelans would reenter a country teetering on collapse—maligned by hyperinflation, soaring unemployment, rampant crime, frequent power outages, water shortages and chronic scarcities of food and medicine.—
Antonio Maria Delgado,
Miami Herald,
3 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Shortages.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/shortages. Accessed 15 Sep. 2025.
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