shortcoming

noun

ˈshȯrt-ˌkə-miŋ How to pronounce shortcoming (audio)
Definition of shortcomingnext
as in weakness
a defect in character a wife who never tires of listing her husband's perceived shortcomings

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 shortcoming Some women may compensate for, conceal or interpret their symptoms as a personal shortcoming before recognizing that additional support may be appropriate. — Matt Emma, USA Today, 3 Aug. 2026 Many of the shortcomings identified by the review revolve around the Bonita shelter, whose closure has been delayed. — Lucas Robinson, San Diego Union-Tribune, 2 Aug. 2026 Some of the issues, including the shortcomings in the apps, make the PixCut S1 a bit of a rough cut. — M. David Stone, PC Magazine, 2 Aug. 2026 Despite Doval’s shortcomings in the Bronx, a source said that a few teams had checked on him prior to Saturday’s trade. — Gary Phillips, New York Daily News, 1 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for shortcoming
Recent Examples of Synonyms for shortcoming
  1. weakness
  2. fault
  3. sin
  4. deficiency
  5. failing
Noun
  • If a bear market arrives shortly after retirement, a cash reserve can allow a family to meet expenses without immediately selling long-term investments into weakness.
    — Steve Booren, Denver Post, 16 Aug. 2026
  • To be sure, efforts to prop up the yen were seen as short-term measures to address the symptoms rather than the root causes of the currency’s weakness.
    — Jason Ma, Fortune, 15 Aug. 2026
Definition of weakness
Noun
  • Deadly fires, often linked to electrical faults or gas cylinder explosions, are common in India where investigators have frequently pointed to safety lapses and inadequate enforcement of fire regulations as contributing to recurring loss of life.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 19 Aug. 2026
  • If Russia behaved badly, that was the fault of its primitive and cruel Asian side, a notion that conveniently created the fiction that Western countries are not capable of similar cruelty.
    — Foreign Affairs, Foreign Affairs, 18 Aug. 2026
Definition of fault
Noun
  • In the final season, as the survivors race to bury their sins before rescue arrives and an old flame roars back into town with plans of her own.
    — Denise Petski, Deadline, 20 Aug. 2026
  • And when that dish is chicken, the sin here is serving a dry bird.
    — Katelyn Umholtz, Kansas City Star, 19 Aug. 2026
Definition of sin
Noun
  • Ultimately, underperformance often signals leadership deficiencies, including poor recruitment and inadequate team management, rather than external market forces.
    — Bill Holmes, Forbes.com, 21 Aug. 2026
  • Some experts have interpreted this update as focusing on optimizing health as opposed to ensuring adequate protein intake to avoid deficiency.
    — Linda M. Boland, The Conversation, 21 Aug. 2026
Definition of deficiency
Noun
  • That Chansiri squandered that vast backing can be listed among his abundant failings.
    — Philip Buckingham, New York Times, 14 Aug. 2026
  • Rather than treating a tired parent’s short fuse as a personal failing, the research suggests sleep, stress and parenting operate as part of a larger system.
    — Samantha Agate, Charlotte Observer, 11 Aug. 2026
Definition of failing

Browse Nearby Words

short-circuits
shortcoming
shortcomings
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Shortcoming.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/shortcoming. Accessed 23 Aug. 2026.

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Nglish: Translation of shortcoming for Spanish Speakers

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