falling short

USAGE SUMMARY

"falling short" is a correct and usable phrase in written English.
You can use it to describe a situation when someone or something does not reach a desired level or goal. For example: Despite studying hard for the exams, Veronica was still falling short of the expected grade.

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Formal & Business

Academia

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

53 human-written examples

No falling short of expectation.

Independent

Even now, the fight is falling short.

The New York Times

He blamed himself for falling short.

The New York Times - Sports

The answer: Both are falling short.

The New York Times

All this effort however, is falling short.

The New York Times

"I think it's falling short.

The New York Times

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

7 human-written examples

He fell short.

The New Yorker

He has fallen short.

The Economist

They fall short.

The Economist

It often falls short.

The New York Times

The shot fell short.

The New York Times - Sports

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "falling short" to describe a gap between an expected or desired outcome and the actual result. It often implies effort has been made, but the goal hasn't been fully achieved.

Common error

While acceptable in many situations, avoid overusing "falling short" in very casual conversations. Simpler alternatives like "not enough" or "didn't work" might be more appropriate for everyday speech.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "falling short" functions as a verbal phrase, typically part of a predicate, describing a state of deficiency or failure to reach a desired standard. As Ludwig AI confirms, it is a correct and usable phrase.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

45%

Formal & Business

25%

Academia

15%

Less common in

Wiki

5%

Science

5%

Reference

5%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "falling short" is a common and grammatically sound way to express that something isn't meeting expectations or reaching a desired standard. As Ludwig AI confirms, it's appropriate for various contexts, particularly in news, business, and academic writing. While versatile, be mindful of the register and consider simpler alternatives for very informal settings. Remember that the phrase implies a gap between a goal and the current state, suggesting a need for improvement or adjustment. When aiming for precision and clarity in expressing deficiencies, "falling short" serves as a reliable choice.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

coming up short

Uses an alternative preposition but retains the core meaning.

not measuring up

Uses a different verb and preposition to convey a similar meaning.

failing to meet expectations

More explicit about the failure to satisfy expectations.

missing the mark

Idiomatic expression emphasizing failure to achieve a target.

not up to par

Employs an idiomatic expression indicating substandard quality.

not making the grade

Informal phrase indicating failure to reach a required standard.

deficient

A more formal, single-word adjective to describe inadequacy.

lacking

Focuses on the absence of necessary qualities or components.

inadequate

A direct synonym emphasizing insufficiency.

proving insufficient

Highlights the act of demonstrating a lack of sufficiency.

FAQs

How can I use "falling short" in a sentence?

You can use "falling short" to describe not meeting a target or expectation. For example, "The company's profits were "falling short" of projections this quarter".

What are some alternatives to "falling short"?

Depending on the context, you could use phrases like "not measuring up", "failing to meet expectations", or "not up to par".

Is it better to use "falling short" or "coming up short"?

"Falling short" and "coming up short" are largely interchangeable. The choice often comes down to personal preference or stylistic considerations within the specific context.

What does it mean when someone says a plan is "falling short"?

When a plan is "falling short", it means that the plan is not achieving its intended goals or producing the desired results. It suggests that the plan's execution or design has some deficiencies that need to be addressed.