How to pronounce shortage
Say it like SHOR-tuj. Shortage has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (SHOR).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce shortage. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- SHOR
- tuj
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Shortage pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- SHORSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "aw" in law.
- tujKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the relaxed "uh" in about.
American vs British pronunciation of shortage
- Americans pronounce the r after a vowel; most British speakers leave it silent and lengthen the vowel instead.
British respelling: SHAW-tij.
What does shortage mean?
- the property of being an amount by which something is less than expected or required“new blood vessels bud out from the already dilated vascular bed to make up the nutritional deficit”
- an acute insufficiency
Where does shortage come from?
From short + -age.
Similar and opposite words
Similar meaning
Words that rhyme with shortage
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of shortage.
Questions about saying shortage
How do you pronounce shortage?
Say SHOR-tuj. The American pronunciation is /ˈʃɔrtədʒ/. In British English it is /ˈʃɔːtɪdʒ/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in shortage?
Shortage has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (SHOR). Broken into parts: SHOR · tuj.
Is shortage pronounced differently in British English?
Yes. Americans pronounce the r after a vowel; most British speakers leave it silent and lengthen the vowel instead. The British form is /ˈʃɔːtɪdʒ/ (SHAW-tij).