scarcity vs shortage vs shortfall vs shortness
The difference
| Word | Meaning | Goes with | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| scarcitynoun/ˈsker.sə.ti/ | Meaning a situation in which there is not enough of something that people need | Goes with water scarcity | Example Water scarcity is getting worse in the Central Highlands during the dry season. |
| shortagenoun/ˈʃɔːr.tɪdʒ/ | Meaning a situation in which there is not enough of something that people need | Goes with shortage of | Example Hospitals across the country are dealing with a serious shortage of nurses. |
| shortfallnoun/ˈʃɔːrt.fɑːl/ | Meaning the amount by which something is less than what you need or expected | Goes with budget shortfall | Example The charity had a shortfall of ten thousand dollars this year. |
| shortnessnoun/ˈʃɔːrt.nəs/ | Meaning the quality of being small in length, height or time, or of not having enough of something | Goes with shortness of breath | Example The shortness of the skirt surprised her mother, who asked her to change. |
Which word fits?
1 of 8Pick the word for the gap. Its form may change in the sentence.
Young families are hit hardest by the housing .