Synonyms of famine

famine

noun

ˈfa-mən 

as in shortage

a falling short of an essential or desirable amount or number

there's a famine of good general practitioners in many rural areas

Synonyms & Similar Words

• shortage
• lack
• drought
• deficiency
• poverty
• scarcity
• deficit
• insufficiency
• absence
• paucity
• dearth
• inadequacy
• crunch
• undersupply
• failure
• scantiness
• lacuna
• pinch
• scarceness
• inadequateness
• omission
• want
• privation
• necessity
• meagerness
• poorness
• skimpiness
• need

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• abundance
• wealth
• sufficiency
• plenty
• amplitude
• opulence
• adequacy
• plenitude
• surplus
• excess
• oversupply
• overabundance
• surfeit
• bountifulness
• copiousness

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of famine

Most historians blame Mao's policies for tens of millions of deaths through famine and politically motivated persecution. — Ian Miller Outkick, FOXNews.com, 28 Oct. 2026

Historians estimate that tens of millions of people died during Mao’s rule as a result of famine and violence. — Miranda Jeyaretnam, Time, 28 Oct. 2026

By century’s end, however, the specter of famine had largely receded (aside from tragedies of war and misgovernment, no small caveat). — Literary Hub, 23 Oct. 2026

The late Middle Ages was a tough time to be alive, between the Black Death, various crusades and holy wars, and famine—not to mention the labor conditions of silver mining. — Kristin Idaszak, Longreads, 22 Oct. 2026