Definition of Shortage

1. Noun. The property of being an amount by which something is less than expected or required. "New blood vessels bud out from the already dilated vascular bed to make up the nutritional deficit"

Exact synonyms: Deficit, Shortfall
Generic synonyms: Deficiency, Inadequacy, Insufficiency
Specialized synonyms: Oxygen Deficit

2. Noun. An acute insufficiency.
Exact synonyms: Dearth, Famine
Generic synonyms: Deficiency, Lack, Want

Definition of Shortage

1. n. Amount or extent of deficiency, as determined by some requirement or standard; as, a shortage in money accounts.

Definition of Shortage

1. Noun. a lack or deficiency ¹

2. Noun. not enough, not sufficient ¹

¹ Source: wiktionary.com

Definition of Shortage

1. an insufficient supply or amount [n -S]

Lexicographical Neighbors of Shortage

short tandem repeat
short tandem repeats
short temper
short tempers
short term
short time
short title
short ton
short tons
short vinculum
short vowel
short wave
short wave diathermy
short waves
short whist
shortage (current term)
shortages
shortalls
shortarm
shortboard
shortboards
shortbread
shortbread cookie
shortbreads
shortcake
shortcakes
shortchange
shortchanged
shortchanger
shortchangers

Literary usage of Shortage

Below you will find example usage of this term as found in modern and/or classical literature:

1. The Social Welfare Forum: Official Proceedings ... Annual Forum by National Conference on Social Welfare, American Social Science Association, Conference of Charities (U.S., Conference of Charities (U.S.), National Conference of Social Work (U.S. (1921)
"Today we hear comparatively little about the shortage; ... Yet the housing shortage is probably even greater than it was last summer and the deep-seated ..."

2. Environmental Performance Reviews by Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, United Nations Economic Commission for Europe. Committee on Environmental Policy (2006)
"Box 3.3 Water shortage in the Rio Bravo/Rio Grande basin The main instrument for solving water issues at the border between Mexico and the United States is ..."

3. Pan-Organizational Summit on the U.S. Science and Engineering Workforce by Marye Anne Fox, ( (2003)
"Regardless, the implications of a shortage of skills critical to US growth, competitiveness, and security are significant. So are the implications of the ..."

4. Education by Project Innovation (Organization) (1920)
"How will the Nation-Wide shortage of Teachers Affect the Future of Our ... shortage is a good deal like a headache. | r« 1 A headache is important or not, ..."

5. The Engineering Index Annual for by American Society of Mechanical Engineers (1908)
"Car shortage Southern Railway Freight Yard at Atlanta, Ga. Plan and illustrated description ... Car shortage. A Plan to Relieve Car shortage and Congestion. ..."

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