shortfall

noun

short·​fall ˈshȯrt-ˌfȯl How to pronounce shortfall (audio)
Synonyms of shortfallnext
: a failure to come up to expectation or need
a budget shortfall
also : the amount of such failure
a $2 million shortfall

Examples of shortfall in a Sentence

a shortfall in milk production
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Ross defended the decision, pointing to the budget gap and attributing part of the shortfall to the Tarrant Appraisal District delaying new home assessments until next year. Sergio Candido, CBS News, 3 May 2026 Arlington has also faced a $20 million budget shortfall, which Ross said was brought on by changes to the Tarrant Appraisal District’s reappraisal process. Emily Holshouser, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 3 May 2026 An earlier analysis from Deutsche Bank pointed out that the CBO assumes the primary deficit—the shortfall between revenue and spending excluding interest payments on debt—is expected to remain relatively stable over the next decade and beyond at about 2% of GDP. Jason Ma, Fortune, 2 May 2026 The proposal, which hasn’t yet qualified for the ballot, immediately drew concerns from Democratic lawmakers, who are reeling from making regular $1 billion-dollar cuts in recent years to make up for ongoing budget shortfalls. The Denver Post, Denver Post, 2 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for shortfall

Word History

First Known Use

1895, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of shortfall was in 1895

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Cite this Entry

“Shortfall.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/shortfall. Accessed 5 May. 2026.

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