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View synonyms for

dearth

[ durth ]

noun

  1. an inadequate supply; scarcity; lack:

    There is a dearth of good engineers.

    Synonyms: , , ,

    Antonyms: , , ,

  2. scarcity and dearness of food; famine.


dearth

/ ɜːθ /

noun

  1. an inadequate amount, esp of food; scarcity
“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged” 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
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yvlog History and Origins

Origin of dearth1

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

Origin of dearth1

C13: derthe , from ŧ dear
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Example Sentences

Examples have not been reviewed.

A dearth in quality is not a threat to international cricket's future.

From

The group makes up 15% of the total population of these four areas, but researchers say the data point to a dearth in multilingual communication alerts about fire warnings, evacuation procedures and relief services.

From

This does not reflect a dearth of intelligence, and I would argue that it’s not even primarily a failure in education, although that’s part of it.

From

One obstacle to the more widespread use of these futuristic firefighting tools, including sensors that can detect smoke and fire, is a dearth of private and public sector funding.

From

All season, Musselman had lamented his team’s dearth of capable bigs, knowing it would make matching up with bigger frontcourts, like Michigan’s, difficult.

From

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More About Dearth

What doesdearth 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 doesdearth 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 It’s essentially a combination of the adjective dear, in its outdated sense of “scarce” or “difficult to get,” and the suffix -th, which is used to turn adjectives into nouns, as in strength and depth.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.

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What are some synonyms for dearth?

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

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

How isdearth 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.

Try usingdearth!

Is dearth used correctly in the following sentence?

There are dearth resources to address this issue.

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