in short supply

Idioms and Phrases

Less than is needed, lacking. For example, Skilled operators were in short supply , or The hotels are all full, and beds are in short supply . [First half of 1900s]

Example Sentences

But when medications are in short supply, regulators don’t consider them “commercially available” — opening the door for pharmacies to create and sell similar products.

From Los Angeles Times

This has pushed even many reliably Democratic voters to the edge of their empathy, because it simply feels unfair: Housing, health care, and social supports are in short supply, there are long waitlists of people seeking to come to the U.S. through legal means, and we’re offering our limited resources to people who have jumped the line?

From Slate

He has not heard back, meaning it is likely that resources are limited and bomb disposal experts in short supply.

From BBC

The drinking water in Hasakah comes from a system of wells 25 kilometres away, but these are also drying and the fuel needed to extract water is in short supply.

From BBC

And the trained experts who perform and analyse thousands of X-ray images every day in the NHS are in short supply, with a huge workload.

From BBC

Related Words

• deficient
• limited
• rare
• scant
• scanty
• sparse
• sporadic