FALLING SHORT Synonyms: 56 Similar and Opposite Words

falling short

phrase

present participle of fall short

as in failing

to be unsuccessful The movie fell short of its viewers' expectations.

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in falling flat

to go wrong The biography falls short by neglecting to explore the subject's faults as well as his virtues.

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of falling short Orlando finishes Phase One with five points, falling short of advancing in one of the top four spots. — Kyle Foley, The Orlando Sentinel, 13 Aug. 2026 But his attempts to get in touch with the company keep falling short. — Barry Levitt, Los Angeles Times, 12 Aug. 2026 Before the call, Sinclair reported mixed results for the April-to-June period, nipping analysts’ consensus revenue forecast but falling short of estimates for net losses per share. — Dade Hayes, Deadline, 5 Aug. 2026 The Galaxy Watch 9 matched its predecessor exactly, falling short of Samsung's estimate and lasting 26 hours with the always-on display enabled. — Andrew Gebhart, PC Magazine, 5 Aug. 2026 At the same time, Bain & Company’s 2026 Automation and AI Pathfinder Survey found that AI budgets are growing even as many returns are falling short. — Brian Solis, Forbes.com, 27 July 2026 Last Year As mentioned, the Los Angeles Rams made it to the NFC Championship before falling short against the Seahawks. — David Troy Outkick, FOXNews.com, 26 July 2026 Net income was down from a year ago, falling short of forecasts, after the company spent big on AI and other research projects. — Chris Isidore, CNN Money, 22 July 2026 The reasons retirement savers cite for falling short include rising costs, credit card debt and competing expenses, the results found. — Lorie Konish, CNBC, 15 July 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for falling short

falling flat

Phrase

But the execution was dead on arrival, with the whole thing falling flat on its face.

— Austin Perry OutKick, FOXNews.com, 1 Aug. 2026
The trick to making the formula feel dynamic is mixing materials, as a blend of textures helps prevent your ensemble from falling flat.

— Kelsey Stewart, Glamour, 10 July 2026