shortchange

American  

[shawrt-cheynj] / ˈʃɔrtˈtʃeɪndʒ /

verb (used with object)

shortchanged, shortchanging

1. to give less than the correct change to.

2. to deal with unfairly or dishonestly, especially to cheat.

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Other Word Forms

• shortchanger
  noun

Etymology

Origin of shortchange

An Americanism dating back to 1890–95

Explanation

To shortchange is to give someone less than you owe them. If you hand over a five dollar bill for a one-dollar lemonade and get three dollars back, the lemonade seller shortchanged you. The useful word shortchange is an American English coinage from the 1880s. It comes from the money sense of the noun change, and the idea that someone has deliberately withheld some of the change they owe you, leaving you short. You can use shortchange even when you're not talking about cash: "Our math teacher promised a pizza party on the last day of school, but she really shortchanged us! All we got was a bag of pretzels."

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

shortchange shortchanged shortchanging

"You have insurance charges, floor charges, and various other levies that make production unsustainable," he told AFP, repeating allegations that contractors collude to keep prices low and "shortchange" producers.

From Barron's ● May 15, 2026

You don’t want to shortchange your future simply because you feel an urgent desire to retire now.

From MarketWatch ● Jan. 5, 2026

But some economists and academics say that would shortchange taxpayers.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Dec. 4, 2025

He said he didn’t intend to shortchange workers and was working on rectifying the issue.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 30, 2024

To make sure that workers at state farms do not shortchange the military, the army stations soldiers at all three thousand of them throughout the harvest season.

From "Escape from Camp 14: One Man's Remarkable Odyssey from North Korea to Freedom in the West" by Blaine Harden

He has told franchisees and investors that the company has shortchanged ingredient quality for cost savings, that service has become uneven and that Wendy’s depends too much on deals.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 24, 2026

In these kinds of situations where family and finance are mixed up, somebody always ends up feeling shortchanged, and no one will ever admit to being wrong.

From MarketWatch ● Jan. 19, 2026

But it also reminds us that people who care keep those of us shortchanged by its promise limping along.

From Salon ● Jan. 8, 2026

Fans were also left feeling shortchanged after the 38-year-old's set featured just three special guests - Popcaan, Rema and Vybz Kartel.

From BBC ● Jul. 13, 2025

I decide not even to complain about having my first paycheck withheld or the ways we’re shortchanged every day.

From "Nickel and Dimed: On (Not) Getting By in America" by Barbara Ehrenreich

Along with the distinctive doors, the vehicle was skinned with stainless steel—like today’s Tesla Cybertruck—because DeLorean thought Detroit was shortchanging customers with vehicles that would rust too quickly, Stone says.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 8, 2026

Even before the first bombs fell on Iran, after all, the U.S. was shortchanging all those imperatives.

From Los Angeles Times ● Mar. 25, 2026

It is also unlikely to allay the emotional or financial shortchanging experienced by your stepsiblings.

From MarketWatch ● Jan. 26, 2026

Financial planners say they are waiting for more information to better understand the implications, but issued a note of caution about Americans shortchanging their retirement-savings goals in an effort to purchase a home.

From Barron's ● Jan. 16, 2026

“Nelson,” he said, “you are shortchanging me. You are giving Gaet-sewe more tobacco than me.”

From "Long Walk to Freedom" by Nelson Mandela