as in weaknesses
a defect in character
a wife who never tires of listing her husband's perceived shortcomings
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Recent Examples of shortcomings
In a division where technical shortcomings can be bridged by physical output, Aaronson is the pin-up boy.
—
Beren Cross, New York Times, 8 Jan. 2026
When evaluating the defensive shortcomings from this past season, Schottenheimer has pointed at the lack of takeaways multiple times.
—Nick Harris, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 7 Jan. 2026
But playing Green at power forward, even with the volume-shooting Post next to him, has exposed Green’s growing shortcomings as a scorer next to Jimmy Butler.
—Joseph Dycus, Mercury News, 7 Jan. 2026
No life is perfect, yet ideally, one wraps up life having accepted the shortcomings and tragedies while taking pride and joy in the accomplishments and meaningful relationships.
—Shruti Mutalik, Baltimore Sun, 7 Jan. 2026
This iteration of the Prius addresses the shortcomings of its predecessor, transforming the hatchback into an exciting, fun car that can go the distance on a single tank of gas.
—Charles Singh, USA Today, 7 Nov. 2025
The carbon market has been beset by shortcomings and subject to accusations of greenwashing, however.
—Jeff Young, MSNBC Newsweek, 6 Nov. 2025
Chinese commentators acknowledged the shortcomings, stating that the test revealed the robots did not perform well in defensive situations.
—Kapil Kajal, Interesting Engineering, 5 Nov. 2025
But Prescott’s turnover and the offensive unit’s shortcomings in the red zone contributed to Monday’s loss to Arizona.
—Chantz Martin, FOXNews.com, 5 Nov. 2025
Beren Cross, New York Times, 8 Jan. 2026
When evaluating the defensive shortcomings from this past season, Schottenheimer has pointed at the lack of takeaways multiple times.
—Nick Harris, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 7 Jan. 2026
But playing Green at power forward, even with the volume-shooting Post next to him, has exposed Green’s growing shortcomings as a scorer next to Jimmy Butler.
—Joseph Dycus, Mercury News, 7 Jan. 2026
No life is perfect, yet ideally, one wraps up life having accepted the shortcomings and tragedies while taking pride and joy in the accomplishments and meaningful relationships.
—Shruti Mutalik, Baltimore Sun, 7 Jan. 2026
This iteration of the Prius addresses the shortcomings of its predecessor, transforming the hatchback into an exciting, fun car that can go the distance on a single tank of gas.
—Charles Singh, USA Today, 7 Nov. 2025
The carbon market has been beset by shortcomings and subject to accusations of greenwashing, however.
—Jeff Young, MSNBC Newsweek, 6 Nov. 2025
Chinese commentators acknowledged the shortcomings, stating that the test revealed the robots did not perform well in defensive situations.
—Kapil Kajal, Interesting Engineering, 5 Nov. 2025
But Prescott’s turnover and the offensive unit’s shortcomings in the red zone contributed to Monday’s loss to Arizona.
—Chantz Martin, FOXNews.com, 5 Nov. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for shortcomings
Noun
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Majumdar’s psychological precision is what makes the novel’s geopolitical weaknesses feel so pronounced.—
Tope Folarin,
The Atlantic,
8 Nov. 2025
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At the time, many companies were launching AI tools like chatbots and internal agents at a remarkable pace, but security safeguards struggled to keep up, which would allow malicious actors to spot weaknesses with methods that cybersecurity tools were never built to detect.—
Daniel Fusch,
USA Today,
6 Nov. 2025
Noun
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The qualities itemized above are not all faults.—
David Frum,
The Atlantic,
3 Jan. 2026
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While the extend of the damage was not immediately clear, the incident was serious enough to cause faults that were detected by the Finnish telecommunications provider Elisa, which operates the link.—
Ivana Kottasová,
CNN Money,
31 Dec. 2025
Noun
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That, plus the lack of talent and cap space thanks to the sins of the Deshaun Watson contract, for which general manager Andrew Berry was somehow spared, makes life difficult for whatever quarterback(s) start for the Browns in 2026.—
Jacob Robinson,
New York Times,
7 Jan. 2026
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Yet what elevates the show is its focus on gender relations and atoning for the sins of the past, adding layers of depth beyond its lurid plotting and somewhat ridiculousness.—
James Mercadante,
Entertainment Weekly,
4 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Shortcomings.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/shortcomings. Accessed 12 Jan. 2026.
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