as in cheated
to rob by the use of trickery or threats
was shortchanged out of a promotion
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
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 shortchanged
The Bears were shortchanged by the NFL, which refused to award them third-round comp picks in 2026 and 2027 for helping develop Ian Cunningham, now the Falcons’ GM.
—
Jacob Robinson, New York Times, 11 Mar. 2026
Separateness was scrupulously honored and enforced, but equality was shortchanged with impunity.
—Bruce Fein, Baltimore Sun, 5 Mar. 2026
The potential benefits would go to education, in particular, as well as to health care, child care and a slew of other state services that Democrats say have been shortchanged by a system that has been largely untouched for nearly 20 years.
—The Denver Post, Denver Post, 31 Jan. 2026
Still, breakfast shifts are often underestimated and shouldn't be shortchanged, Sheik added.
—Deirdre Bardolf, FOXNews.com, 29 Jan. 2026
The money is supposed to follow the student, but the Auditor General of Florida found public schools shortchanged by $100 million.
—Don Gaetz, The Orlando Sentinel, 16 Jan. 2026
An article from The Star in 2017 said the two began conceptualizing the store in 2015 after noticing men were being shortchanged in the retail industry.
—Joseph Hernandez, Kansas City Star, 30 Dec. 2025
Other typically snowy areas have been shortchanged so far.
—Mary Gilbert, CNN Money, 26 Nov. 2025
Badly shortchanged by its pandemic release, Ridley Scott’s The Last Duel is still one of the director’s most underrated efforts.
—Eric Vilas-Boas, Vulture, 25 Nov. 2025
Jacob Robinson, New York Times, 11 Mar. 2026
Separateness was scrupulously honored and enforced, but equality was shortchanged with impunity.
—Bruce Fein, Baltimore Sun, 5 Mar. 2026
The potential benefits would go to education, in particular, as well as to health care, child care and a slew of other state services that Democrats say have been shortchanged by a system that has been largely untouched for nearly 20 years.
—The Denver Post, Denver Post, 31 Jan. 2026
Still, breakfast shifts are often underestimated and shouldn't be shortchanged, Sheik added.
—Deirdre Bardolf, FOXNews.com, 29 Jan. 2026
The money is supposed to follow the student, but the Auditor General of Florida found public schools shortchanged by $100 million.
—Don Gaetz, The Orlando Sentinel, 16 Jan. 2026
An article from The Star in 2017 said the two began conceptualizing the store in 2015 after noticing men were being shortchanged in the retail industry.
—Joseph Hernandez, Kansas City Star, 30 Dec. 2025
Other typically snowy areas have been shortchanged so far.
—Mary Gilbert, CNN Money, 26 Nov. 2025
Badly shortchanged by its pandemic release, Ridley Scott’s The Last Duel is still one of the director’s most underrated efforts.
—Eric Vilas-Boas, Vulture, 25 Nov. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for shortchanged
Verb
-
Indigenous people have been cheated through laws such as are operated in Nigeria today.—
Noo Saro-Wiwa,
The Dial,
24 Mar. 2026
-
So those Santa Ana constituents would be cheated out of services if the money remained solely in the First District.—
Tony Saavedra,
Oc Register,
17 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
The dads and sons hustled to a nearby dirt patch.—
Charles Bethea,
New Yorker,
30 Mar. 2026
-
Minnesota pulled even in the fourth when Byron Buxton hustled home on sacrifice fly by Josh Bell.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
28 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
And almost all traffic goes through two main shipping lanes that are even more squeezed.—
Annette Choi,
CNN Money,
27 Mar. 2026
-
More than 22,000 oranges are squeezed, and hundreds of gallons of drinks are poured, all for opening day.—
Caroline Foreback,
CBS News,
26 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Anyone who is stung repeatedly or has trouble breathing should call 911.—
Rey Covarrubias Jr,
AZCentral.com,
29 Mar. 2026
-
These scandals stung at the time, but looking back, Cyrus wouldn’t have changed a thing.—
Ethan Shanfeld,
Variety,
18 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Some songs here have been plucked from Robyn’s back catalog and given a dusting up for the 2020s.—
Molly Mary O’Brien,
Pitchfork,
27 Mar. 2026
-
Come down from your tower for a steak, some seafood plucked from Gulf waters, a martini.—
Elazar Sontag,
Washington Post,
26 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Harper is thrilled, Whitney is screwed.—
Meg Walters,
Glamour,
2 Mar. 2026
-
You just got screwed over by a duo!—
Dalton Ross,
Entertainment Weekly,
26 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
The platform exploded in popularity during the pandemic as millions of people stuck at home globally turned to the web, fuelling a surge in content and users.—
Reuters,
USA Today,
24 Mar. 2026
-
Per the official logline, School Spirits is centered around Maddie, a teen girl stuck in the afterlife investigating her own mysterious disappearance.—
Denise Petski,
Deadline,
24 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Shortchanged.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/shortchanged. Accessed 31 Mar. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
