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

Examples of food desert in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
For example, in 2024 the Association sponsored a bill to incentivize grocers to open stores in food deserts. Ron Fong, Oc Register, 21 May 2025 For a while, the neighborhood was mostly parking lots, and considered a food desert up until 2023, when a Publix finally opened in the area. Alana Al-Hatlani, Southern Living, 16 May 2025 The only grocery store remains closed, creating a food desert. Brenda Goodman, CNN Money, 22 Apr. 2025 He's had to address urban blight, gun violence, and the challenges affecting many cities in the United States and especially the South: food deserts, racial strife, the ongoing public health response to COVID-19 and job growth. Nicholas Creel, MSNBC Newsweek, 18 Apr. 2025 See All Example Sentences for food desert

Word History

First Known Use

1988, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of food desert was in 1988

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Food desert.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/food%20desert. Accessed 27 May. 2025.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!