fall short of

Prove inadequate or insufficient. For example, His skills fell short of the required standard. [Late 1500s]

The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.

Related Words for fall short of

dissatisfy, disillusion, dishearten, dumbfound, disconcert, baffle, deceive, fail, hamper, mislead, disenchant, hinder, thwart, founder, tease, chagrin, balk, vex, dash, disgruntle