Synonyms of fall short

fall short

phrase

1

as in collapse

to be unsuccessful

The movie fell short of its viewers' expectations.

Synonyms & Similar Words

• collapse
• fail
• flop
• fold
• struggle
• strike out
• miss
• fall flat
• come to grief
• bomb
• lay an egg
• come up empty
• flame out
• tank
• wash out
• come a cropper
• die on the vine
• founder
• flunk
• crater
• fall on one's face
• decline
• crash
• slip
• go under
• slump
• skid
• crumble
• flounder
• wane
• sink
• misfire
• miscarry
• implode
• self-destruct

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• go
• go over
• succeed
• deliver
• work out
• click
• pan out
• come off
• cook
• thrive
• flourish
• triumph
• win
• prevail
• prosper

2

as in come to grief

to go wrong

The biography falls short by neglecting to explore the subject's faults as well as his virtues.

Synonyms & Similar Words

• come to grief
• fail
• fall flat
• stall
• come a cropper
• misfire
• die
• miss
• miscarry
• struggle
• flop
• founder
• fold
• crash
• wash out
• break down
• tank
• flame out
• bomb
• skid
• slump
• conk (out)
• slip
• flounder
• bust
• flunk
• wane
• decline
• fizzle

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• succeed
• prevail
• thrive
• flourish
• prosper

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of fall short

Wednesday’s Senate vote, among its last before senators go home to campaign ahead of the election, fell short of the chamber’s 60-vote threshold to advance with a tally of 57-43. — Ramsey Touchberry, The Washington Examiner, 1 Oct. 2026

Assign clear lines of ownership should protection fall short. — Steve Durbin, Forbes.com, 1 Oct. 2026

Its winds fell short by 4 mph, but there’s a chance Fay gets upgraded in the National Hurricane Center’s final review. — Chris Dolce, CNN Money, 1 Oct. 2026

Micron expects total industry shipments for DRAM and NAND to grow by about 20% over the next two years, but believes output will fall short of demand as AI companies continue to buy up components to build new data centers. — Michael Kan, PC Magazine, 1 Oct. 2026