shortage

noun
UK: /ˈʃɔː.tɪdʒ/
US: /ˈʃɔːr.tɪdʒ/

  1. A situation when there is not enough of something.

    1. There is a water shortage this summer.
    2. The country is facing a serious shortage of skilled workers in the technology sector.

  2. A deficit or deficiency in something required or expected.

    1. We have a shortage of staff today.
    2. Due to the unexpected demand, there's a temporary shortage of the popular new product.

Synonyms

deficit dearth scarcity insufficiency lack

Frequently Asked Questions

The word "shortage" in English means: A situation when there is not enough of something., A deficit or deficiency in something required or expected..

The phonetic transcription of "shortage" is /ˈʃɔː.tɪdʒ/ in British English and /ˈʃɔːr.tɪdʒ/ in American English. Click the 🔊 button to hear both pronunciations.

Synonyms for "shortage": deficit, dearth, scarcity, insufficiency, lack.

Example usage of "shortage": "There is a water shortage this summer.". More examples on the page.