shortage

noun

short·​age ˈshȯr-tij 

: lack, deficit

Synonyms of shortage

• lack
• deficiency
• scarcity

Examples of shortage in a Sentence

there was a troubling shortage of supplies for the troops overseas this year

Recent Examples on the Web

Another major challenge is intensifying domestic competition and labor shortages as Japan’s birth rate declines and its population ages, Nagai said. — Jenny Lee, CNBC, 5 Oct. 2026

This shortage is especially concerning given Arkansas' diabetes burden. — Arkansas Online, 5 Oct. 2026

The bill was reintroduced in 2025, at a time where there was a national shortage of 57,259 physicians. — Esha Desai, Hartford Courant, 4 Oct. 2026

Large-format 4K monitors don’t come cheap, nor do RAM and SSDs, which have shot up in cost due to supply shortages. — Michael Justin Allen Sexton, PC Magazine, 4 Oct. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1868, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing shortage

• no shortage of

Rhymes for shortage

• reportage

Kids Definition

shortage

noun

short·​age ˈshȯrt-ij 

: a lack in the amount needed : deficit

a shortage of cash

a gasoline shortage