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

Example Sentences

Government then passes emergency funding legislation to make up the shortfall.

From The Wall Street Journal

"As things stand, we expect a substantial shortfall in 2026," they added.

From Barron's

BCP finance councillor Mike Cox said the council was "looking at every nook and cranny" as it attempted to tackle a £9m budget shortfall.

From BBC

So it’s hard to hear the numbers and not be shocked and angry, especially as the Golden State is faced with a budget shortfall that may be as much as $18 billion.

From Los Angeles Times

Complicating the state’s budget process is an anticipated shortfall in the coming year.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

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