shortfall

noun

Definition of shortfallnext
as in deficiency
formal a failure to get what is expected or needed a shortfall in milk production profit shortfalls

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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 shortfall In the year following Obeng’s dismissal, the district faced a $14 million budget shortfall and the threat of closure within two years. — Ilana Arougheti july 10, Kansas City Star, 10 July 2026 Funding shortfalls and layoffs impact the hundreds of sites (433) overseen by the National Park Service, which include 63 National Parks as well as National Monuments, National Battlefields, and National Historic Sites. — Jen Rose Smith, CNN Money, 10 July 2026 Under the current cap, the state’s rainy day fund would only cover one-third of budget shortfalls over the next 50 years, according to the LAO. — Bloomberg, Mercury News, 9 July 2026 These shortfalls drive up rents and choke off the path to homeownership. — Debbie Wasserman Schultz, Sun Sentinel, 9 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for shortfall
Recent Examples of Synonyms for shortfall
  1. deficiency
  2. deficit
Noun
  • Notably, Messi had a growth deficiency as a child, for which he was treated.
    — Joshua P. Cohen, Forbes.com, 10 July 2026
  • Schrier and Alsobrooks wrote in their letter that historically there wasn’t a need for robust monitoring systems to track cases of vitamin K deficiency bleeding.
    — Duaa Eldeib, ProPublica, 10 July 2026
Definition of deficiency
Noun
  • The spread of the disease, which has led to more than 700 deaths in the DRC and parts of Uganda, has been aided by rampant misinformation and a major deficit in health supplies.
    — Jeronimo Gonzalez, semafor.com, 14 July 2026
  • That’s $35 billion more than the deficit recorded during the same period last fiscal year, according to the Congressional Budget Office.
    — Kate Nishimura, Footwear News, 14 July 2026
Definition of deficit

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shortens
shortfall
shortfalls
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Cite this Entry

“Shortfall.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/shortfall. Accessed 15 Jul. 2026.

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