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

A dearth of public charging stations was long considered a stumbling block for persuading more drivers to embrace EVs.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

All of that means the Federal Reserve may feel comfortable cutting interest rates again in October—even if there is a dearth of labor and inflation reports ahead of its next meeting.

Read more on Barron's

In these places the dearth of home insurance, the semi-isolation and the continued threat of fire make it particularly difficult to rebound after one hits.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

The dearth of construction after the North Complex fire makes it an outlier.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

"They're being failed due to early years stereotyping, inadequate opportunities and a complete dearth of knowledge about managing female puberty," she added.

Read more on BBC

Related Words

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

When To Use

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.