dearth

[ durth ]

noun

1. an inadequate supply; scarcity; lack:

   There is a dearth of good engineers.

   Synonyms: insufficiency, paucity, want, shortage

   Antonyms: surplus, sufficiency, plenty, abundance

2. scarcity and dearness of food; famine.

dearth

/ dɜːθ /

noun

1. an inadequate amount, esp of food; scarcity

Word History and Origins

Origin of dearth¹

First recorded in 1200–50, dearth is from the Middle English word derthe. See dear ¹, -th ¹

Word History and Origins

Origin of dearth¹

C13: derthe , from dēr dear

Example Sentences

While the national team has a wealth of attacking players, many of whom are performing at high levels in Europe, there is a dearth of strikers.

From Washington Post

President Barack Obama’s Administration inherited this unfortunate state of affairs, but the public bristled at the dearth of criminal convictions for high-level corporate executives in the wake of that financial crisis.

From Time

So steady has Beekman been this season that he has started seven games despite a dearth of experience at the college level.

From Washington Post

As a maternal-fetal medicine specialist, helping pregnant people navigate this dearth of research was part of Parchem’s job even before the pandemic.

From Time

I have friends who complain daily about the dearth of available dating options.

From Washington Post

The Pentagon security reviewers must have been suffering a dearth of caffeine or sleep.

From The Daily Beast

The FDA is hoping to remedy the dearth of knowledge with a plea aimed at influential drugmakers.

From The Daily Beast

And the dearth of top Democratic visitors could have a real impact on down-ballot Democrats.

From The Daily Beast

Like the people of Westeros, winter is coming and with it a dearth of Game of Thrones.

From The Daily Beast

Despite the dearth of decent sex education, most of us could figure out what had happened.

From The Daily Beast

She had been confined to the house a month, and there had been, as a natural consequence, a great dearth of news.

From Project Gutenberg

The mills, with their dyes and dirt, are also responsible for the dearth of trout.

From Project Gutenberg

Great wealth cannot still hunger, but rather occasions more dearth, for where rich people are there things are always dear.

From Project Gutenberg

I have the honor to enclose the last gazettes, by which Congress will see the dearth of news in Europe at present.

From Project Gutenberg

A dearth of all sedentary resources became, when his youth passed away, his own constant reproach.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• absence
• deficiency
• inadequacy
• lack
• paucity
• shortage

More About Dearth

What does dearth mean?

A dearth of something is a lack or scarcity of it.

The word is especially used in serious situations in which there is a shortage of something important. It is usually followed by of and the thing that is lacking, as in a dearth of resources or a dearth of clean water. 

Much less commonly, dearth is used in a more specific way to refer to a scarcity of food—a famine.

Example: The dearth of teachers has resulted in large class sizes.

Where does dearth come from?

The first records of the word dearth come from the 1200s. It comes from the Middle English word derthe. It’s essentially a combination of the adjective dear, in its outdated sense of “scarce” or “difficult to get,” and the suffix -th, which is used to turn adjectives into nouns, as in strength and depth.

Dearth can be used in contexts involving both the shortage of tangible things, as in There’s a dearth of medical clinics in the region, and intangible ones, as in There’s a dearth of research on the subject. In any case, it usually involves a shortage that’s serious and could cause problems. The words lack and scarcity are close synonyms, but they’re less formal.

Did you know ... ?

What are some synonyms for dearth?

• lack
• scarcity
• shortage
• insufficiency 
• paucity
• famine

What are some words that share a root or word element with dearth? 

 

• dear

 

What are some words that often get used in discussing dearth?

 

• resources
• research
• information
• inadequate
• supply
• suffer
• available

How is dearth used in real life?

Dearth is a somewhat formal term, but it can be used in everyday conversation. It’s often used in a serious context.

My latest: In #Gaza, autism researchers battle a dearth of resources — and a wealth of misinformation and stigma https://t.co/Y4TB1yTR0l

— Claire Helen Cameron (@ClaireHCameron) May 16, 2016

The dearth of information coming out of the White House about Trump's health has sparked a flurry of rumors among Washington diplomats — and concerns that U.S. adversaries may take advantage of the moment.https://t.co/lLqQZpVOql via @KimDozierhttps://t.co/JAPGRn4vDK

— TIMEPolitics (@TIMEPolitics) October 3, 2020

There is a dearth of leadership in this country. The media is not immune to it.

— Sebenzile Nkambule (@SebeNkambule) December 19, 2019

 

 

Try using dearth!

Is dearth used correctly in the following sentence? 

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