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

But those buffers have been reduced, he said, and may soon lose their ability to cushion the market from the full impact of the supply shortfall.

From MarketWatch • May 18, 2026

State spending has outpaced California’s strong revenue growth by about 10%, creating a perennial budget shortfall, defined as a structural deficit.

From Los Angeles Times • May 14, 2026

U.K. government borrowing costs rose slightly after the nationalization announcement, amid a 5.2% budget shortfall last year.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 11, 2026

If there is a shortfall, there’s about $840 billion in revenue from businesses—entities without claims to clean consciences—raised through customs and corporate income taxes that could be used as morally inert backfill.

From Slate • May 11, 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