adjective

shorthanded

Shorthanded (adjective) means not having enough staff or workers to operate normally. Example: “The restaurant was shorthanded on a Friday night, which meant slow service.”

adjective

Not having enough staff or workers to operate normally.

"The restaurant was shorthanded on a Friday night, which meant slow service."

In ice hockey, having fewer players on the ice than the opposing team, usually due to a penalty.

"He scored a shorthanded goal while his team was down a man."

How to use shorthanded

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishMissing enough people to do the job properly — in hockey, playing with a man disadvantage.

Common pairings

shorthanded goal badly shorthanded

Word forms

more shorthanded comparative, more shorthanded comparative, most shorthanded superlative, most shorthanded superlative

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The restaurant was _____ on a Friday night, which meant slow service.

Etymology

From short + handed.

Rhymes for shorthanded

handed landed banded branded stranded underhanded

See all rhymes for shorthanded →

Frequently asked questions

What does “shorthanded” mean?

The word “shorthanded” means not having enough staff or workers to operate normally. In plain terms, missing enough people to do the job properly — in hockey, playing with a man disadvantage.

How do you use “shorthanded” in a sentence?

Here is “shorthanded” used in a sentence: “The restaurant was shorthanded on a Friday night, which meant slow service.”

What part of speech is “shorthanded”?

“Shorthanded” is an adjective.

How many meanings does “shorthanded” have?

“Shorthanded” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: not having enough staff or workers to operate normally.