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Dictionary.com

short end

NOUN
stub
Synonyms
STRONG
butt counterfoil dock remainder remnant root snag stump tag tail
WEAK
tail end
ADJECTIVE
least
Synonyms
STRONG
bottom first gutter infinitesimal last minimum minute nadir second third
WEAK
atomic entry-level feeblest fewest finical lowest meanest microcosmic microscopic minimal minutest molecular most trivial next to nothing niggling piddling poorest short-end tiniest trivial unimportant
Antonyms
STRONG
big huge large substantial
WEAK
most

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Millennials like to say their generation got the short end of the economic stick.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 11, 2026

Young men — and young women — feel like they’ve gotten the short end of the stick, and that previous generations enjoyed easier paths to advancement, stable work and comfortable living.

From MarketWatch • Jan. 15, 2026

Fed rate cuts should be a tailwind for yields to come down at the short end of the curve.

From Barron's • Dec. 12, 2025

At its existing level of staffing, “the result is burnt-out therapists and patients who just get the short end of the stick.”

From Los Angeles Times • Oct. 18, 2024

I was tired of getting the short end of the stick in this family just because I was the youngest.

From "Liar, Liar" by Gary Paulsen