dearth

American  

[durth] / dɜrθ /

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.

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dearth British  

/ dɜːθ /

noun

1. an inadequate amount, esp of food; scarcity

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Usage

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.

Etymology

Origin of dearth

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

Example Sentences

Thus, 2020 also became the year to revisit old TV shows and movies, partly due to the industry-wide dearth of new content, and partly because we craved the solace of the known.

From Salon

County Parks and Recreation, immediately started to address the dearth of places to congregate after the fires.

From Los Angeles Times

Despite a relative dearth of investments in AI-related private companies, including private infrastructure firms, family offices do stake a huge amount of their wealth on the success of alternative investments.

From Barron's

Yet, delays in hospitalisation are common in rural India where bad roads, far-flung hospitals and a dearth of ambulance services prevent timely treatment.

From BBC

A relative dearth of snow in Utah, which often blankets the festival, meant even the skiers had something to mourn.

From The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

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