in short supply
Hard to find
Something in short supply is scarce or insufficient to meet demand.
The phrase describes situations where there isn't enough of something—whether goods, resources, or abstract qualities—relative to what's needed or wanted.
Affordable housing is in short supply in most major cities.
Patience was in short supply after the third delay.
The expression often implies that the shortage creates problems or competition for whatever remains available.
- dearthAcute shortage of something
- lackDeficiency or absence
- paucityInsufficiency of amount
- few and far betweenRarely encountered, widely spaced
- thin on the groundIn short supply
drought · gold dust · deficiency · inadequacy · want · privation · running low · at a premium · stockout · rationing · famine · time crunch · tight budget · energy crisis · limited · emotional neglect · panic buying · hoarded
- scarcityscarcity, scarce, scant, scanty, lack
- Running Lowrunning low, running out, dried up, at a premium, next to nothing
in short supplyabundant
Existing in great quantity
plentiful · in abundance · ample · overflowing · copious
short, supply, supplies, shortly, shortage, shortness, supplied, supplier, insufficient