noun · 2 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot
Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.
Sound
Pronunciation
Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.
shôrt
Received-Pronunciation:/ˈʃɔːtˌkʌmɪŋ/
Southern-England:Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
Canada, General-American:/ˈʃoɹtˌkʌmɪŋ/
[ˈʃɑɹtˌkʌmɪŋ]St. Louis
Australian:/ˈʃoːtˌkɐmɪŋ/
New-Zealand:/ˈʃoːtˌkɐməŋ/
CMU ARPABET:SH AO1 R T K AH2 M IH0 NG
Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.
1
noun
Meaning 1
A deficiency or falling short; failure to attain a goal or ideal.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: plural, usually
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
2
noun
Meaning 2
a failing or deficiency
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
that interpretation is an unfortunate defect of our lack of information
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: defect
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: disadvantage
History
Etymology
From short + coming.
Across languages
Translations
52 source translations are retained for this English entry.
Belarusian:
недахо́п
(njedaxóp)
— deficiency
Bulgarian:
дефицит
(deficit)
— deficiency
Bulgarian:
недостиг
(nedostig)
— deficiency
Catalan:
defecte
— deficiency
Catalan:
mancança
— deficiency
Chinese Mandarin:
不足之處 /不足之处
(bùzúzhīchù)
— deficiency