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Meaning of fall short
The primary meaning of "fall short" is to fail to achieve or meet something, such as a goal, standard, or expectation.
Etymology of fall short
The phrase "fall short" originated in the 14th century, from the Old English words "feallan" meaning "to fall" and "sceort" meaning "short"
Historically, the phrase was used to describe physical shortcomings, but over time it evolved to include figurative meanings, such as failing to meet standards or expectations
Synonyms
fail
miss
lack
come up short
not make the grade
be deficient
be inadequate
be insufficient
fall behind
lose out
be beaten
not succeed
be unsuccessful
flunk
bomb
flop
founder
stumble
trip
slip
fumble
blunder
err
miss the mark
not come up to expectations
disappoint
underachieve
underperform
not meet requirements
Definitions
- To fail to achieve or attain something, especially a standard or goal
- To be deficient or inadequate in some way
- To fail to meet expectations or requirements
Usage Examples
- The company's sales fell short of their quarterly projections
- She fell short of her goal to finish the marathon in under 4 hours
- The new policy fell short of addressing the root causes of the problem