shortages

noun

plural of shortage
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

Synonyms & Similar Words

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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 shortages Planning for water shortages should also be top of mind in areas that tend to get drier during El Niño events, Shaman said. — Andrew Freedman, CNN Money, 4 Aug. 2026 But even that facility shuttered July 3 because of staffing shortages and remained closed on the Fourth of July. — Drew Kann, AJC.com, 4 Aug. 2026 These supply-chain upheavals have mounted pressures on certain industries like aviation, where jet fuel costs have soared, and agriculture, which has dealt with shortages of key chemicals used in fertilizers as a result of Strait of Hormuz closures. — Sasha Rogelberg, Fortune, 3 Aug. 2026 Memory manufacturers worldwide have been prioritizing AI clients over consumer electronics brands, leading to price hikes, supply shortages, or both across laptops, smartphones, gaming consoles, and other product categories that rely on these chips. — Jibin Joseph, PC Magazine, 3 Aug. 2026 Furthermore, developers routinely ignore local water shortages to build water-intensive cooling systems in arid regions. — Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 3 Aug. 2026 The campaign comes amid signs of growing public fatigue with the war in Ukraine as fuel shortages and economic pain increase, an environment that reduces the authorities' tolerance for even token opposition. — ABC News, 3 Aug. 2026 Issues such as insufficient supplier capacity and component shortages continue to constrain the aviation supply chain. — CNBC, 3 Aug. 2026 Food shortages could also prompt huge numbers of people to flee their homes. — Jenny Vaughan, semafor.com, 27 July 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for shortages
  1. lacks
  2. deficiencies
  3. deficits
  4. scarcities
Noun
  • Long used in commercial kitchens for sinks and countertops, steel sinks contain chromium that provides corrosion-resistance and nickel that adds the brightness pure steel lacks.
    — Mary Marlowe Leverette, The Spruce, 19 July 2026
  • The Anaheim Ducks, at least, had a lot of pace and tempo to help make up for what Carlson’s skating lacks at this point in his career.
    — Shayna Goldman, New York Times, 2 July 2026
Definition of lacks
Noun
  • Construction defects, insulation deficiencies, and air leakage throughout the home or building can significantly affect how well the heating and cooling system performs.
    — Brynn Cooksey, Forbes.com, 6 Aug. 2026
  • If there were concerns about how the trip was reported, the attorneys argued, the district had multiple opportunities to raise them and allow Carvalho to correct any deficiencies but never did.
    — Milena Malaver, Miami Herald, 6 Aug. 2026
Definition of deficiencies
Noun
  • The yen has been under pressure from rising oil prices, Japan’s persistent budget deficits and a yawning interest-rate gap with the US and other major economies.
    — Shintaro Inkyo, Fortune, 1 Aug. 2026
  • The disease can cause intellectual deficits as well as severe physical symptoms.
    — Simone McCarthy, CNN Money, 31 July 2026
Definition of deficits
Noun
  • Combine these two scarcities and watch how PooCravian information proliferates with no end in sight.
    — Fran Hoepfner, Vulture, 30 Apr. 2026
  • Meanwhile, the island’s population, almost all of which lives below the poverty line according to some estimates, continues to face essential scarcities, raising fears of a humanitarian crisis.
    — Prashant Rao, semafor.com, 8 Apr. 2026
Definition of scarcities

Browse Nearby Words

shortage
shortages
short ballot
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Cite this Entry

“Shortages.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/shortages. Accessed 8 Aug. 2026.

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Nglish: Translation of shortages for Spanish Speakers

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