shortfall
Less than needed
A shortfall is the amount by which something falls short of what is needed, expected, or required.
It typically appears in financial and resource contexts: a budget shortfall means revenues don't cover planned expenditures, while a shortfall in supplies means there aren't enough to meet demand.
The company faced a $2 million shortfall after sales dropped.
Unlike deficit, which often implies debt, shortfall emphasizes the gap between what you have and what you need.
Performing below one's capability
- disappointmentSadness from unmet expectations
- letdownFailure to satisfy expectations
- unmetNot yet fulfilled
- unfulfilledNot brought to completion
underperformance · gap · variance · overestimation · miscalculation · misjudgment · anticipated · projected
Inadequate provision of goods
- dearthAcute shortage of something
- paucityInsufficiency of amount
- insufficiencyShortfall in amount needed
- depletionReduction of supply
scantiness · meagerness · sparsity · drought · famine · rationing · stockpile · reserves
Amount still owed
- underfundingInadequate monetary allocation
- appropriationUnauthorized claiming or allocation
- allocationDistribution of shares
- fundingSupplying monetary resources
expenditure · revenue · cutbacks · austerity · sequestration · overspending · belt-tightening · subsidy
Overdue financial obligations
- debtMoney owed another
- insolvencyInability to pay debts
- bankruptcyLegal status when insolvent
- defaultPreset standard option
liabilities · losses · write-off · overdraft · recession · undercapitalized · liquidity · cash-flow
Amount still owed
- discrepancyDifference between expected and actual
- disparityMeasurable difference between things
- differenceWay things contrast
- marginEdge of a page
variance · differential · imbalance · mismatch · divide · gulf · chasm · lag
underachievement
Performing below one's capability
- disappointmentSadness from unmet expectations
- letdownFailure to satisfy expectations
- unmetNot yet fulfilled
unfulfilled · underperformance · gap · variance · overestimation · miscalculation · misjudgment · anticipated · projected · benchmark
undersupply
Inadequate provision of goods
- dearthAcute shortage of something
- paucityInsufficiency of amount
- insufficiencyShortfall in amount needed
depletion · scantiness · meagerness · sparsity · drought · famine · rationing · stockpile · reserves · inventory
deficit
Amount still owed
- underfundingInadequate monetary allocation
- appropriationUnauthorized claiming or allocation
- allocationDistribution of shares
funding · expenditure · revenue · cutbacks · austerity · sequestration · overspending · belt-tightening · subsidy · fiscal
arrears
Overdue financial obligations
- debtMoney owed another
- insolvencyInability to pay debts
- bankruptcyLegal status when insolvent
default · liabilities · losses · write-off · overdraft · recession · undercapitalized · liquidity · cash-flow · receivables
deficit
Amount still owed
- discrepancyDifference between expected and actual
- disparityMeasurable difference between things
- differenceWay things contrast
margin · variance · differential · imbalance · mismatch · divide · gulf · chasm · lag · distance
- fiscal crisisdebt crisis, fiscal crisis, fiscal emergency, insolvency, budget deficit
- deficitsbudget deficit, federal deficit, fiscal deficit, deficit reduction, deficit hawk
- economyGDP, money, inflation, inflation rate, GNP
- availabilityavailable, unavailable, sold out, in stock, out of stock
- business troublesbankruptcy, crisis, failure, insolvency, layoffs
- declinesdrop, decline, downtrend, downturn, downslide
shortfallsurplus
Amount exceeding requirement
excess · overage · glut · overabundance · oversupply
shortfallachievement
Accomplished goal or deed
attainment · fulfillment · success · overachievement · exceed
- budget shortfallInsufficient funds for expenditures