How to pronounce shortfall
Say it like SHORT-fawl. Shortfall has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (SHORT).
VoiceSpeed
US American/ˈʃɔrtˌfɔl/SHORT-fawl
UK British/ˈʃɔːtˌfɔːl/SHAWT-fawl
- SHORT
- fawl
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Shortfall pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- SHORTSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "aw" in law.
- fawlGive this part a little weight. The vowel is the "aw" in law.
American vs British pronunciation of shortfall
- Americans pronounce the r after a vowel; most British speakers leave it silent and lengthen the vowel instead.
British respelling: SHAWT-fawl.
What does shortfall mean?
noun
- An instance of falling short, of not meeting a quota, an obligation, or more generally any expected target.“Due to a shortfall in revenue, we will have to make some cuts.”
- The amount by which such a quota, obligation, etc., was missed.
Where does shortfall come from?
Deverbal from fall short.
Similar and opposite words
Similar meaning
Questions about saying shortfall
How do you pronounce shortfall?
Say SHORT-fawl. The American pronunciation is /ˈʃɔrtˌfɔl/. In British English it is /ˈʃɔːtˌfɔːl/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in shortfall?
Shortfall has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (SHORT). Broken into parts: SHORT · fawl.
Is shortfall 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 /ˈʃɔːtˌfɔːl/ (SHAWT-fawl).