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Common collocations with shortage in American Collocation

shortage noun countable/uncountable

US /ˈʃɔrtɪdʒ/

serious

acute
crippling
critical
desperate
dire
drastic
extreme
grave
massive
serious
severe

There are very few woods that will not find a use if there is an acute shortage of timber.

in many places

national
nationwide
UK-wide
widespread
worldwide

There is a nationwide shortage of doctors.

happening now or soon

current
impending
looming

Towards the end of last year, we heard reports of an impending water shortage.

longlasting

chronic

Chronic energy shortages pose the most significant challenge.

of people

labour
manpower
nursing
staff
staffing
teacher
workforce

What are we going to do about our manpower shortage?

of goods

food
fuel
housing
petrol
water

Food shortages were particularly grave in Somalia, eastern Kenya, and south eastern Ethiopia.

of skill

skills

There is a national problem of skills shortages in the construction industry.

relieve a shortage

alleviate
ease
overcome
redress
relieve
remedy
solve

Helping healthcare assistants to gain higher qualifications could alleviate the serious shortage of nurses in Britain.

tackle a shortage

address
combat
counter
tackle

We will tackle the shortage of staff through 7,500 more consultants and 20,000 extra nurses.

make a shortage worse

aggravate
exacerbate
worsen

Refurbishment of the Library has exacerbated our shortage of shelf space.

experience a shortage

experience
face
suffer

Up to 8 million people face severe food shortages or starvation.

point out a shortage

highlight
identify
report

Our Local Housing Strategy has highlighted the shortage of affordable rented housing.

cause a shortage

cause

There was a lot of panic buying when war started, which caused shortages.

prevent a shortage

avert
avoid

The action is thought necessary to avert a crisis shortage of gas supplies this winter.