short of policy

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "short of policy" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to indicate a situation where something is lacking or insufficient in terms of policy or formal guidelines. Example: "The organization is operating short of policy, which has led to confusion among the staff regarding their responsibilities."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

3 human-written examples

Kasich suggested that Trump's abortion gaffe fitted a wider pattern that shows he is woefully short of policy knowledge and unprepared for office.

The Guardian

Still, though the winner of this election will inherit the most sweeping federal intervention in financial markets in at least three generations, the debate, while not short of policy discussions, was at least as much about the styles of the two men as they engaged one another.

The New York Times

After coaching hundreds of clients in companies where policies and culture don't align, I know where practices fall short of policy intentions.

Huffington Post

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

55 human-written examples

Short of policies and short of ideas, they incite citizens to vote with the blind, frightened anger of their base emotions, and not with the confident, measured wisdom of their intelligence.

The Guardian - Opinion

Nor would be he short of policies.

The Guardian

But the scope of the new policy fell short of policies announced by some other dioceses in the region.

The New York Times

This tendency toward isolationism stops short of policies in Malaysia, where the leader, Mahathir Mohamad, inveighs against neocolonial financiers.

The New York Times

Jahagirdar noted that the report's recommendations fall short of policies adopted by companies such as Chipotle Mexican Grill Inc, which seeks to buy completely antibiotic-free meats.

Huffington Post

These diverse views coalesced around a short list of policy needs: the end of fossil fuel subsidies, a carbon price (or as Entrecanales put it, the "end of indirect subsidies"), regulatory stability, "money on the table" to help people adapt around the world, and a commitment to communications that make the case and bring people along.

Huffington Post

Finally, although we have shown rapid expansion of the workforce in Indigenous health research in the past decade, associated with a relatively short period of policy change, sustained commitment to greater support for research in this area is required.

Health Research Policy and Systems

"Short of a policy mistake in Washington, it's tough to get a recession right now," he said.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using the phrase "short of policy", ensure that the context clearly indicates what specific policy is lacking and what the consequences of that lack are.

Common error

Avoid using "short of policy" in casual conversation or informal writing. Opt for simpler alternatives like "lacking policy" or "without policy" for better clarity and appropriateness.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "short of policy" functions as a postpositional modifier, often clarifying the degree or extent to which an entity or action falls outside established guidelines or principles. Ludwig AI shows it modifies actions, leaving or gaps.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

66%

Science

33%

Formal & Business

0%

Less common in

Academia

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "short of policy" is a grammatically correct and usable phrase that denotes a lack or insufficiency in established guidelines. According to Ludwig, it's best suited for professional and neutral contexts like news reporting and formal analyses. Although the phrase is considered rare, it appears in authoritative sources like The New York Times and The Guardian. Ludwig AI states that while it can be directly replaced with "lacking policy" in many cases, "short of policy" often carries a stronger sense of urgency or criticality than the simple absence implied by "without policy".

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

lacking policy

This alternative directly replaces "short of" with "lacking", maintaining the core meaning of a deficiency.

devoid of policy

Uses "devoid of" to emphasize a complete absence of policy where something may be needed.

deficient in policy

Replaces "short of" with "deficient in", which focuses on the inadequacy or imperfection of existing policies.

without adequate policy

Specifies that the absence is of "adequate" policy, suggesting that existing policies are insufficient.

in the absence of policy

Emphasizes that something occurs because policy is missing, highlighting causality.

policy gap exists

This expresses a gap in the implementation. Implies something should be there but isn't.

policy vacuum

This conveys that no policy is there at all, therefore it's a 'vacuum'.

falling short on policy

Highlights that effort made it's not enough and something is missing.

inadequate policy measures

Emphasizes the weakness. Implies some policy is present, just not enough.

insufficient policy framework

Focuses on the framework. Indicates policies are missing and the framework isn't supportive.

FAQs

How can I use "short of policy" in a sentence?

You can use "short of policy" to describe a situation where specific policies are lacking. For example, "The company's response to the crisis was inadequate, leaving them "short of policy" for handling similar events in the future."

What is a synonym for "short of policy"?

A synonym for "short of policy" is "lacking policy". Both phrases indicate a deficiency in established guidelines or regulations.

When is it appropriate to use "short of policy"?

It is appropriate to use "short of policy" in formal and professional contexts when discussing the absence or inadequacy of specific policies within an organization or system.

What's the difference between "short of policy" and "without policy"?

While similar, "short of policy" implies a more urgent need or a more critical deficiency than "without policy". "Without policy" simply states the absence, while "short of policy" suggests a problematic gap.