shortage

/ˈʃɔːtɪdʒ/ (bre, ipa) · /ˈʃɔːrtɪdʒ/ (ame, ipa) · /ˈshȯr-tij/ (ame, mw)

shortage — noun

  • shortagesingular
  • shortagesplural

1. A shortage happens when the amount or supply of something — such as food, water,

1.名詞B2
釋義

A shortage happens when the amount or supply of something — such as food, water, housing, or workers — is less than what people need or want.

例句

The city is facing a severe housing shortage because more people are moving in every year.

collocation: severe + shortage / housing + shortage

Noor's family could not find fresh vegetables at the market due to the water shortage.

同義詞
  • lack

    More general and can mean a complete absence (a lack of evidence), whereas shortage implies some amount exists but not enough.

  • scarcity

    More formal and often suggests natural or structural limitation rather than temporary insufficiency.

  • deficit

    Used mostly in financial or technical contexts such as budgets or trade; more specific than shortage.

反義詞
  • surplus

    An amount that is more than what is needed — the direct opposite of shortage.

  • abundance

    A large quantity that is more than enough, often suggesting plenty.

文法句型

shortage + of + noun phrase

用法筆記

Shortage is usually followed by 'of' to specify what is lacking: a shortage of water, a shortage of doctors. It is often used with adjectives like 'severe', 'acute', 'chronic', or 'growing' to describe the extent or seriousness of the shortfall.

常見錯誤

❌There is a shortage water in the region.
✅There is a shortage of water in the region.
💡shortage requires the preposition 'of' before the thing that is lacking.
❌The factory closed because of shortage workers.
✅The factory closed because of a shortage of workers.
💡when countable, shortage needs an article (a/the) before it, and 'of' before the noun.