shortage

noun

short·​age ˈshȯr-tij How to pronounce shortage (audio)
Synonyms of shortagenext
: lack, deficit

Synonyms of shortage

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Examples of shortage in a Sentence

there was a troubling shortage of supplies for the troops overseas this year
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.
The blockade has caused medicine shortages in Iran, though there is no sign of shortages of food or other essential goods. — Arkansas Online, 26 Oct. 2026 Providence’s housing shortage Rhode Island has lagged far behind other states in building housing since its peak in the 1980s. — Nathaniel Meyersohn, CNN Money, 25 Oct. 2026 Families have begun rationing water and a shortage of groceries has sent prices soaring in the country’s third-largest city. — ABC News, 25 Oct. 2026 They were frustrated with teacher shortages and poor conditions at schools, including overcrowded classrooms and dilapidated buildings. — James Cirrone , Brittany Miller, FOXNews.com, 24 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for shortage

Word History

First Known Use

1868, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of shortage was in 1868

Phrases Containing shortage

Rhymes for shortage

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Browse Nearby Words

short account
shortage
short and
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Cite this Entry

“Shortage.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/shortage. Accessed 27 Oct. 2026.

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Kids Definition

shortage

noun
short·​age ˈshȯrt-ij How to pronounce shortage (audio)
: a lack in the amount needed : deficit
a shortage of cash
a gasoline shortage
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