a modest shortfall

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "a modest shortfall" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to describe a small or minor deficiency or gap in something, such as performance, revenue, or expectations. Example: "The company experienced a modest shortfall in sales this quarter, but overall performance remained strong."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

4 human-written examples

There's a modest shortfall which requires some modifications," said Assemblyman Rory Lancman, a Democrat from Queens.

The New York Times

If wages had been paid fairly based on productivity, there would have been enough money subject to the payroll tax to avoid even a modest shortfall.

The New York Times

Indeed, Social Security is projecting a modest shortfall, around two decades away.

Huffington Post

Over the next 25 years, Social Security is projecting a modest shortfall of just.51percentt of GDP.

HuffPost

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

56 human-written examples

"With DISH shares already down in the last few weeks owing to concerns it would miss the number and, in our opinion, what was a relatively modest shortfall, we would regard any sustained weakness as a buying opportunity," the brokerage said.

Forbes

As Congress is dithering over how to close a more modest shortfall in the disability insurance reserve and threatening to cut Social Security benefits across the board, there's no reason why the option of raising the tax should be off the table.

Los Angeles Times

Social Security is a self-funded program that faces a modest financial shortfall and should not be cut to reduce a deficit it did not cause, they argued.

Huffington Post

In truth, Social Security has a modest projected shortfall, still decades away, but its promised benefits - and, indeed, expanded benefits - are fully affordable and will be paid, if that is what the American people want and their elected officials follow their will.

Huffington Post

Today, the modest shortfall is still years away.

Huffington Post

As for revenue, the EPI paper explains that this "modest shortfall" can be addressed by either raising tax rates or raising the cap on earnings.

Huffington Post

Ballantyne co-authored a paper on the topic, in fact, that reached this conclusion: "(Social Security's) long term modest shortfall of less than 1% of GDP can be addressed by raising employer and employee payroll tax rates, by raising the cap on taxable earnings, or by some combination of the two".

Huffington Post

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "a modest shortfall" when you want to downplay the severity of a deficit or deficiency. This phrase is suitable when the amount lacking is small and not expected to cause significant problems.

Common error

Avoid using "a modest shortfall" when the actual deficiency is large or has serious consequences. It can mislead readers if the problem is more substantial than suggested by the word "modest".

Linguistic Context

The phrase "a modest shortfall" functions as a noun phrase that describes a deficiency or deficit. The adjective "modest" qualifies the noun "shortfall", indicating that the deficiency is small or insignificant. As Ludwig AI indicates, the phrase is grammatically correct and usable in written English.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

100%

Science

0%

Formal & Business

0%

Less common in

Science

0%

Formal & Business

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "a modest shortfall" is a grammatically sound and usable expression to describe a small deficiency or deficit. Ludwig AI confirms its correctness. It is most commonly found in news and media contexts, serving to downplay the seriousness of a lack or deficiency. When using this phrase, ensure that the shortfall is genuinely small and not likely to cause significant issues, to avoid misleading your audience. Alternatives include "a slight deficit" or "a small shortage". Using synonyms to describe the relevance is an alternative if you want to change the emphasis of the sentence.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

a slight deficit

Replaces "modest" with "slight", emphasizing the small size of the deficit, and it's a more formal term than "shortfall".

a minor deficiency

Substitutes both "modest" and "shortfall" with synonyms, focusing on the concept of something being incomplete or lacking in a small way.

a small shortage

Replaces "modest" with "small" and "shortfall" with "shortage", both very close synonyms, making it a highly similar alternative.

a limited inadequacy

Uses more formal and less common words, "limited" and "inadequacy", to convey the idea of a small lack or insufficiency.

a marginal gap

Replaces "modest" with "marginal" and "shortfall" with "gap", suggesting a small difference between what is needed and what is available.

a trivial insufficiency

Emphasizes the unimportance of the shortfall using "trivial", while "insufficiency" is a more formal synonym for "shortfall".

a negligible deficit

Highlights the insignificance of the deficit, using "negligible" to describe it as so small that it's hardly worth considering.

a fractional discrepancy

Presents a more technical alternative, suggesting a small difference or inconsistency, typically in numerical data.

a contained paucity

Uses "contained" to imply the shortfall is limited and under control, while "paucity" is a more formal term for a small quantity.

a tempered inadequacy

Suggests that the inadequacy is moderate, it means that the expression of "inadequacy" is softened by the presence of "tempered".

FAQs

What does "a modest shortfall" mean?

The phrase "a modest shortfall" refers to a small or relatively insignificant deficiency or deficit. It suggests that the amount lacking is not substantial and is unlikely to cause major problems.

When is it appropriate to use the term "a modest shortfall"?

It is appropriate to use "a modest shortfall" when describing situations where there is a small gap between what is needed or expected and what is actually available, such as in budgets, resources, or performance targets.

What are some alternatives to saying "a modest shortfall"?

You can use alternatives like "a slight deficit", "a minor deficiency", or "a small shortage" to express a similar meaning.

How does "a modest shortfall" differ from "a significant shortfall"?

"A modest shortfall" implies a small and manageable gap, while "a significant shortfall" suggests a much larger and potentially more problematic deficiency. The choice of phrase depends on the actual size and impact of the shortfall.