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.
Rural areas of the state and pockets within cities have become food deserts where the largest supermarkets choose not to enter. Jack Buffington, Fortune, 8 Feb. 2026 Rural areas of the state and pockets within cities have become food deserts where the largest supermarkets choose not to enter. Jack Buffington, The Conversation, 6 Feb. 2026 Her community focus also extends to Best Academy, where her team designed and installed the electrical systems for a hydroponics lab that powers grow lights and climate controls—bringing fresh produce to a neighborhood considered a food desert. Nakell Williams, CBS News, 5 Feb. 2026 Metcalfe Park, which is classified as a food desert, suffered the loss of its only grocery store last July. Everett Eaton, jsonline.com, 3 Feb. 2026 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 12 Feb. 2026.

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!

More from Merriam-Webster