coming up short
Missing the mark
Coming up short means failing to reach a goal or meet expectations, often by a small margin.
The phrase evokes measurement—literally not reaching the required length or amount: The fundraiser came up short by a few thousand dollars.
It applies to any kind of failure or insufficiency: He always comes up short when it matters most.
- fallingMoving downward freely
- failingFlaw in one's nature
- lackingBeing without something
- not enoughBelow the needed amount
- missingNot present, whereabouts unknown
deficit · shortfall · budget shortfall · inadequate · insufficient · almost · nearly · close · gap · disappointment · underperform · second place · reach · grasp · out of reach · stretch · stumble · miss
- failuresfailure, failures, flop, flops, bust
- setbacksfailing, back to square one, stuck, losing, stumbles
- defeatdefeat, beaten, conquered, vanquished, loss
- Running Lowrunning low, running out, dried up, at a premium, next to nothing
- shortcomingsdeficient, inadequate, lacking, inferior, subpar
coming up shortsucceeding
Attaining aims or following
achieving · making it · hitting the mark · nailing it · coming through
coming up shortmaking the cut
Achieving required standard
cutting it · passing muster · filling the bill · overflowing
comes, coming, upping, short, shorts, shorten, shortened, shortening, shorter