SHORTFALL Synonyms: 27 Similar and Opposite Words

shortfall

noun

Definition of shortfall

as in deficiency

formal a failure to get what is expected or needed a shortfall in milk production profit shortfalls

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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 shortfall That cash shortfall has prompted significant financial strain, according to the survey of 1,028 workers conducted in June. — Lorie Konish, CNBC, 22 Aug. 2026 Many of those campuses have been navigating budget shortfalls. — Sydney Lake, Fortune, 21 Aug. 2026 Declining ore grades and production shortfalls are common and mean that miners must process more rock to produce the same amount of copper, increasing the energy, capital, and infrastructure required to maintain production. — Ariel Cohen, Forbes.com, 18 Aug. 2026 The program's retirement trust fund could face a shortfall as early as 2032 unless Congress takes action, prompting lawmakers and policy groups to offer competing proposals to shore up the system. — Fernando Cervantes Jr, USA Today, 17 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for shortfall

Recent Examples of Synonyms for shortfall

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

Structural inflation, fueled by government deficits, AI investments, low unemployment rates, growing trade barriers and energy disruptions, is reshaping the landscape for markets, according to Fidelity International.

— Justina Lee, CNBC, 26 Aug. 2026
The government has raised taxes and increased domestic borrowing to keep its budget deficit under control, and taking over major companies could potentially bring in revenue.

— ABC News, ABC News, 25 Aug. 2026

Definition of deficit

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“Shortfall.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/shortfall. Accessed 26 Aug. 2026.

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Synonyms of shortfall

noun

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