undershoot
Americanverb (used with object)
-
to shoot or launch a projectile that strikes under or short of (a target).
-
Aeronautics. (of an aircraft or pilot) to land before reaching (a landing strip) because of a too rapid loss of altitude.
verb (used without object)
verb
-
(of a pilot) to cause (an aircraft) to land short of (a runway) or (of an aircraft) to land in this way
-
to shoot a projectile so that it falls short of (a target)
Other Word Forms
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
-
undershootsimple
-
undershootssimple
-
have undershotperfect
-
has undershotperfect
-
am undershootingprogressive
-
are undershootingprogressive
-
is undershootingprogressive
-
have been undershootingperfect progressive
-
has been undershootingperfect progressive
Past
-
undershotsimple
-
had undershotperfect
-
was undershootingprogressive
-
were undershootingprogressive
-
had been undershootingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of undershoot
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.
See Examples For:
However, the overall undershoot in inflation compared to expectations suggests that the indirect effect of higher global energy prices will be smaller than assumed, Berenberg economist Andrew Wishart says in a note.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 17, 2026
“The risk in 2026 has always been skewed to further easing given the expected undershoot of the inflation target,” Deutsche Bank’s Chief European Economist Mark Wall said in a recent research note.
From Barron's ● Feb. 4, 2026
A runway safety area refers to an area adjacent to, or at the end of a runway, meant to limit damage to aircraft should they overshoot, undershoot or veer off the runway.
From BBC ● Jan. 22, 2025
O’Brien’s staging is deliberately old-fashioned, filled with simple effects and modest outlays meant to match the content but that somehow undershoot the mark.
From New York Times ● Apr. 4, 2023
"Better to overshoot than to undershoot," added Aylward.
From The White Company by Doyle, Arthur Conan, Sir
After a series of undershoots in the years following the 2008-09 financial crisis, policy would seek to exceed the 2% target—which it did readily.
From Barron's ● May 15, 2026
If a team undershoots its targets, it falls back quickly.
From BBC ● Mar. 5, 2024
These dynamics could intensify later this week if U.S. inflation data for June undershoots analysts' already soft expectations.
From Reuters ● Jul. 10, 2023
The snippet we see of their idiotic vanity project, “The Striking Viking,” aims so low it undershoots satire by a mile.
From New York Times ● Jul. 5, 2018
Since regular jet flights started two years ago, no U.S. commercial jet has cracked up seriously on landing, but there have been perilously close undershoots and overshoots because of pilot misjudgment.
From Time Magazine Archive
Growth in nonfarm payrolls has undershot its longer-run average for two years.
From Barron's ● Apr. 2, 2026
The history of the building also captivated Brendan - it is an undershot watermill, which means water flows underneath the waterwheel, striking the paddles at the bottom.
From BBC ● Jan. 24, 2026
The 50,000 jobs created in December undershot economists’ expectations, and previously published tallies for October and November were revised lower.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jan. 9, 2026
Global silver supplies undershot demand for a fifth year in a row in 2025, according to the Silver Institute.
From MarketWatch ● Dec. 10, 2025
The water is gelid, murky; down there, past where the sand drops away and it’s deep, there are old rocks covered with slime, sunken logs, crayfish, leeches, huge pike with undershot jaws.
From "Cat's Eye" by Margaret Atwood
But spending appeared to lose steam, undershooting expectations of economists surveyed by Dow Jones Newswires and The Wall Street Journal who instead expected growth of 0.4 percent.
From Barron's ● Feb. 10, 2026
Government data showed earlier Friday that household spending fell 3.0% in October from a year earlier, undershooting a 1.0% rise expected.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Dec. 5, 2025
Kroenke always told his development team that undershooting L.A. would be a huge mistake, that the opportunity here was immeasurable.
From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 24, 2025
Ruth Gregory, deputy chief UK economist at Capital Economics, said "Christmas has come early" for Chancellor Rachel Reeves due to borrowing "undershooting" expectations.
From BBC ● Dec. 20, 2024
Employers added 175,000 positions in April, the Labor Department reported Friday, undershooting forecasts.
From New York Times ● May 3, 2024
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.
