shortfall

American  

[shawrt-fawl] / ˈʃɔrtˌfɔl /

noun

1. the quantity or extent by which something falls short; deficiency; shortage.

2. the act or fact of falling short.

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shortfall British  

/ ˈʃɔːtˌfɔːl /

noun

1. failure to meet a goal or a requirement

2. the amount of such a failure; deficiency

   a shortfall of £30m

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Etymology

Origin of shortfall

1890–95; short + fall; from verb phrase fall short

Explanation

If there's not enough of something, there's a shortfall. You expected to have plenty of Halloween candy, but a shortfall of Skittles has you running to the store to buy more. When an available quantity doesn't meet your needs, or there's a deficiency of something you want, you've got a shortfall. You might dump out your piggybank and discover a shortfall of cash, or start making a soufflé but find an egg shortfall when you open the fridge. This word comes from the idea of a supply that falls short of expectations.

Example Sentences

The city has proposed shifting costs entirely onto employees as it manages a $50 million shortfall.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 23, 2026

“That shortfall of emergency public information that was the real issue here,” Botterell said.

From Los Angeles Times • May 19, 2026

That said, the employer is required to cover any shortfall.

From MarketWatch • May 14, 2026

The federal government is projected to post a budget shortfall of about $2 trillion in the current fiscal year ending in September, compared with $1.8 trillion a year earlier.

From Barron's • May 12, 2026

In five weeks, on November 29, the index of subprime mortgage bonds, called the ABX, would post its first interest-rate shortfall.

From "The Big Short" by Michael Lewis

Related Words

• deficiency
• flaw
• lack
• loss
• shortage
• shortcoming