famine
noun
extreme and general scarcity of food, as in a country or a large geographical area.
famines
-
pluralof famine.plural
The grammatical form denoting more than one person, place, thing, or idea.
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.
It asserted that widespread famines and mass starvation would doom huge swaths of mankind because the world’s population was growing too rapidly.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Mar. 17, 2026
Generations before us have survived wars and famines.
From Salon ● May 1, 2025
“Drawing from our experience with previous famines, we know that widespread deaths have already occurred by the time a famine is officially declared.”
From BBC ● Aug. 1, 2024
Wars, famines, outbreaks, natural disasters … There are, sadly, many reasons why populations might be forced or feel compelled to leave their homes in search of refuge elsewhere, and these cases continue to grow.
From Science Daily ● Jun. 3, 2024
Luke wished he’d had the nerve to ask about the Population Law, or the famines, or even some family history.
From "Among the Hidden" by Margaret Peterson Haddix
