# short of sth

idiom · CEFR B2

Source: https://englishreference.com/idiom/short-of-sth
Updated: 2026-04-22

## Meaning

not having enough of something that you need. You use this when you are missing a specific amount or a specific thing.

## Examples

- We are short of milk for the coffee.
- The bakery is short of flour today, so we cannot bake any more bread for the customers.
- The expedition team found themselves dangerously short of supplies as the winter storm intensified, forcing them to ration their remaining food.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.