short of
Idioms-
Having an inadequate supply of, as in We're short of cash right now . [Late 1600s] Also see fall short of .
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Less than, inferior to, as in Nothing short of her best effort was needed to make the team . [Mid-1500s]
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Other than, without resorting to, as in Short of yelling, I had no other way of getting his attention .
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See stop short , def. 3.
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
However, the spending has also faced criticism for falling short of the UK's increased defence needs.
From BBC • Jun. 30, 2026
The court stopped short of deciding the proper basis for a search warrant in such cases.
From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 29, 2026
Full-year 2026 adjusted earnings guidance of $10.83 to $11.18 per share also fell short of analyst expectations.
From Barron's • Jun. 29, 2026
The course and quiz are aimed at warning investors of the risks and possibility that returns fall far short of expectations.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 27, 2026
Their combined expertise was nothing short of stunning.
From "The Secret History" by Donna Tartt
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
