food desert
noun
: an area where little fresh produce is available for sale
Despite the common perception of food deserts as city neighborhoods where fast food chains and convenience stores dominate, many of Kansas' food deserts are in rural areas. In some, residents have to drive 20 miles or farther to find a source of healthful food.—
Megan Hart
Megan HartExamples of food desert in a Sentence
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What To Know Mamdani, 34, became New York City’s mayor after running as a democratic socialist on a platform that promoted city-run grocery stores as a remedy for food deserts and high grocery costs.
—Hollie Silverman, MSNBC Newsweek, 8 Nov. 2025
Both downtown Janesville and the city's south side are considered food deserts due to a lack of accessible grocery stores with affordable, fresh produce options.
—Anna Kleiber, jsonline.com, 27 Oct. 2025
And affordable, healthy groceries are even harder to come by in rural food deserts.
—Fortune, 13 Oct. 2025
The area is a food desert, meaning a third of the neighborhood’s population lives more than a mile from a grocery store.
—Desiree Mathurin, Charlotte Observer, 7 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for food desert
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Hollie Silverman, MSNBC Newsweek, 8 Nov. 2025
Both downtown Janesville and the city's south side are considered food deserts due to a lack of accessible grocery stores with affordable, fresh produce options.
—Anna Kleiber, jsonline.com, 27 Oct. 2025
And affordable, healthy groceries are even harder to come by in rural food deserts.
—Fortune, 13 Oct. 2025
The area is a food desert, meaning a third of the neighborhood’s population lives more than a mile from a grocery store.
—Desiree Mathurin, Charlotte Observer, 7 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for food desert
Cite this Entry
“Food desert.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/food%20desert. Accessed 16 Nov. 2025.
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