shortfall

noun

short·​fall ˈshȯrt-ˌfȯl How to pronounce shortfall (audio)
: a failure to come up to expectation or need
a budget shortfall
also : the amount of such failure
a $2 million shortfall

Examples of shortfall in a Sentence

a shortfall in milk production
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Facing a major budget shortfall, L.A.'s City Council is weighing municipal cuts and staffing reductions proposed by Mayor Karen Bass, some of which affect the Department of Cultural Affairs, which manages Hollyhock House. Iona Brannon, Travel + Leisure, 17 May 2025 With the administration forecasting an almost $2.4 billion surplus this fiscal year, and another $4.1 billion stashed in the rainy day fund, Connecticut can easily cover a $300 million Medicaid shortfall. Keith M. Phaneuf, Hartford Courant, 17 May 2025 The district has a list of 18 campuses being considered for closure or consolidation owing to a $17 million budget shortfall this year, which came on the heels of a $45 million shortfall in 2023-24. Matthew Adams, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 16 May 2025 The new teachers contract pushes Chicago Public Schools’ deficit to more than $800 million, and the CTA faces a $600 million revenue shortfall. Paul Vallas, Chicago Tribune, 15 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for shortfall

Word History

First Known Use

1895, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of shortfall was in 1895

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Cite this Entry

“Shortfall.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/shortfall. Accessed 20 May. 2025.

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