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
Travelers should brace for higher airfares this summer due to looming jet fuel shortages amid the war with Iran.
—
Jessica Puckett, Condé Nast Traveler, 4 May 2026
Our economy is suffering too, with critical workforce shortages of teachers and nurses.
—Kaitlyn Schallhorn, Oc Register, 4 May 2026
Policies should empower workers to address housing shortages.
—Maxwell Harden, Sun Sentinel, 3 May 2026
Now, with the end of the Middle East conflict nowhere in sight and the average cost of California gasoline topping $6 per gallon, some lawmakers are warning of potential oil and gas shortages.
—Los Angeles Times, 3 May 2026
The standoff is increasingly putting pressure on the global economy, driving up prices and leading to shortages of fuel and other products tied to the oil industry.
—ABC News, 2 May 2026
Water shortages can develop, agriculture is hit harder, and water restrictions can be put in place.
—Callie Zanandrie, CBS News, 2 May 2026
Michael Nagle | Bloomberg | Getty Images The closure of the Strait of Hormuz has caused a worldwide economic ripple effect, hiking prices of everything from gas to pharmaceuticals and causing shortages of everything from jet fuel to helium.
—Kevin Williams, CNBC, 2 May 2026
This includes soaring gas prices at the pump, seesawing stock markets, rising food and fertilizer prices, higher shipping-insurance costs, and fuel shortages that have touched off violence, work stoppages, and profiteering in parts of Asia and Africa.
—Sudarsan Raghavan, New Yorker, 28 Apr. 2026
Jessica Puckett, Condé Nast Traveler, 4 May 2026
Our economy is suffering too, with critical workforce shortages of teachers and nurses.
—Kaitlyn Schallhorn, Oc Register, 4 May 2026
Policies should empower workers to address housing shortages.
—Maxwell Harden, Sun Sentinel, 3 May 2026
Now, with the end of the Middle East conflict nowhere in sight and the average cost of California gasoline topping $6 per gallon, some lawmakers are warning of potential oil and gas shortages.
—Los Angeles Times, 3 May 2026
The standoff is increasingly putting pressure on the global economy, driving up prices and leading to shortages of fuel and other products tied to the oil industry.
—ABC News, 2 May 2026
Water shortages can develop, agriculture is hit harder, and water restrictions can be put in place.
—Callie Zanandrie, CBS News, 2 May 2026
Michael Nagle | Bloomberg | Getty Images The closure of the Strait of Hormuz has caused a worldwide economic ripple effect, hiking prices of everything from gas to pharmaceuticals and causing shortages of everything from jet fuel to helium.
—Kevin Williams, CNBC, 2 May 2026
This includes soaring gas prices at the pump, seesawing stock markets, rising food and fertilizer prices, higher shipping-insurance costs, and fuel shortages that have touched off violence, work stoppages, and profiteering in parts of Asia and Africa.
—Sudarsan Raghavan, New Yorker, 28 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for shortages
Noun
-
Ford’s freedom or constraints, his prejudices or lacks, gauge his moment and ours.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
30 Apr. 2026
-
Dipping into 2027 draft capital to make a fifth-round selection in a draft that Schneider has repeatedly said lacks depth is a surprising move.—
Michael-Shawn Dugar,
New York Times,
25 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
But his athletic deficiencies could be tough to overcome.—
Barry Jackson,
Miami Herald,
30 Apr. 2026
-
Britt Eastland said Camp Mystic would correct those deficiencies soon and has made several other safety changes.—
Ashley Killough,
CNN Money,
29 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Washington has run large deficits without spooking the bond market for years.—
Annie Lowrey,
The Atlantic,
28 Apr. 2026
-
Such symptoms often impair a patient’s quality of life as much as, or even more than, the primary neurological deficits.—
Eric J. Nestler,
STAT,
28 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
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
-
Still, the financial strain continued and, by the fall, dozens of staff and prisoners were telling ProPublica about unusual scarcities in facilities across the country.—
Keri Blakinger,
ProPublica,
25 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Shortages.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/shortages. Accessed 5 May. 2026.
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