shortcomings

noun

plural of shortcoming
as in weaknesses
a defect in character a wife who never tires of listing her husband's perceived shortcomings

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

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 shortcomings The Jets, seeking to address their defensive shortcomings, signed safety Minkah Fitzpatrick in the offseason. — Andrew Greif, NBC news, 3 Oct. 2026 Others, including Colombian President Abelardo de la Espriella, who recently launched a crackdown on Venezuelan migrants in his country, will be tempted to stoke xenophobia to deflect blame for policy shortcomings. — Dan Restrepo, Foreign Affairs, 30 Sep. 2026 During the campaign, PAM had ruled out staying in a coalition with the RNI — the two had traded blame over policy shortcomings including a failure to halt rises in food prices. — CNN Money, 29 Sep. 2026 Donica, whose connection with Piney Point goes back decades, has witnessed many shortcomings in the site’s management. — Ryan Ballogg, Miami Herald, 28 Sep. 2026 An independent review board identified three major problems with the Starliner, along with a host of less severe shortcomings that had to be addressed. — William Harwood, CBS News, 28 Sep. 2026 The mistakes and shortcomings on both sides of the ball — as detailed in our coverage from last week’s game — aren’t symptoms that are usually fixed in a week’s time. — Pj Green september 28, Kansas City Star, 28 Sep. 2026 To make up for its lens shortcomings, compared to more expensive and larger models, the Mini takes a lot of images in the one position. — New Atlas, 27 Sep. 2026 But where Hwan’s Christianity is a willful, grotesque misreading of the Bible, Latif actively wrestles with his moral shortcomings. — Los Angeles Times, 25 Sep. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for shortcomings
  1. weaknesses
  2. faults
  3. sins
Noun
  • On iPhone, Apple says the Passwords app automatically identifies common weaknesses, including passwords that are easy to guess or used multiple times.
    — Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 2 Oct. 2026
  • Slowik, who was part of Miami’s offensive staff last season while working for McDaniel, is aware of what Wright and Gordon bring to the team, their strengths and weaknesses, and intends to cater the offense to those.
    — Omar Kelly, Miami Herald, 2 Oct. 2026
Definition of weaknesses
Noun
  • Taylor’s attorney, Barbara Berkowitz, caught up with PEOPLE and shared one of Taylor’s few faults.
    — Angela Andaloro, PEOPLE, 25 Sep. 2026
  • Recently, Qnetic completed its first 100 continuous charge-discharge cycles with zero faults or degradation, a key indicator of its reliability.
    — Ameya Paleja, Interesting Engineering, 22 Sep. 2026
Definition of faults
Noun
  • While some newly prominent groups (such as those who later became known as Quakers) emphasized love, fellowship and justice, some members of other sects (like the Presbyterians) created new fears, new sins, new tests and new punishments.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 28 Sep. 2026
  • Kaporos is intended to symbolize the transfer of one’s sins to a chicken.
    — Voice of the People, New York Daily News, 20 Sep. 2026
Definition of sins

Browse Nearby Words

shortcoming
shortcomings
shortcut
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Shortcomings.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/shortcomings. Accessed 6 Oct. 2026.

Copy Citation
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of regimen

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

Do You Need a New Language Peeve?

More Commonly Mispronounced Words

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

7 Great Ways to Say 'Great'

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Even More Bird Names that Sound Like Insults (and Sometimes Are)

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World
See More

Popular

See More

Do You Need a New Language Peeve?

7 Great Ways to Say 'Great'

The Longest Long Words List
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
name tags
Words Named After People Quiz Find out who’s behind "leotard," "morphine," an...
See All