short of

Meaning

Except; but; without resorting to; up to the point of.
He tried everything short of lending her the money himself.

Insufficiently equipped with.
He's a nice person, but a bit short of brains.

Less than.
An Olympic athlete cannot perform at any level short of world-class.

Source: en.wiktionary.org

Synonyms

less below except wanting minus devoid starved barring bereft without excluding lacking except for omitting excepting

Antonyms

plus accompanying for example together with not to mention

Examples

Bring home a wife to your house when you are of the right age, while you are not far short of thirty years nor much above; this is the right age for marriage. Hesiod

Jealousy is never satisfied with anything short of an omniscience that would detect the subtlest fold of the heart. George Eliot

However far modern science and techniques have fallen short of their inherent possibilities, they have taught mankind at least one lesson; nothing is impossible. Lewis Mumford

If you're short of trouble take a goat. Finnish Proverb

A lazy messenger is not short of excuses. Yiddish Proverb

It is better to have bread left over than to run short of wine. Spanish Proverb

Words in the phrase

short of

Close letter words and terms

short novel short o short odds short of a length short of breath short of staff