The term 'short of' is used to describe a situation where something is not enough or is LACKING. The crossword solutions for this term are SHY (3 letters), LACKING (7 letters), NEEDING (7 letters), DEPLETED (8 letters), and INSUFFICIENT (12 letters). SHY describes someone who is timid or reserved, while LACKING and NEEDING both refer to a situation where something is missing or not enough. DEPLETED implies that something has been used up or exhausted, and INSUFFICIENT means that something is not enough.