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
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Recent Examples of famine
In late August, the World Health Organization cited a new Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) analysis that found more than half a million people in Gaza are trapped in famine, marked by widespread starvation, destitution and preventable deaths.
—
Natalie Oganesyan, Deadline, 28 Sep. 2025
Too little or too much water meant either drought or the wrong kind of flood, which in turn led to famine and disease.
—Vanessa Taylor, Big Think, 25 Sep. 2025
The social, cultural, and economic effects of climate change will be recorded not on hunger stones, but in pandemics, wars, famines, and genocides exacerbated by the effects of higher temperatures.
—Ed Simon
september 24, Literary Hub, 24 Sep. 2025
Implementation of Lysenko’s policies predictably led to a massive famine that killed literally millions of Ukrainians.
—D. Scott Schmid, Denver Post, 22 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for famine
Natalie Oganesyan, Deadline, 28 Sep. 2025
Too little or too much water meant either drought or the wrong kind of flood, which in turn led to famine and disease.
—Vanessa Taylor, Big Think, 25 Sep. 2025
The social, cultural, and economic effects of climate change will be recorded not on hunger stones, but in pandemics, wars, famines, and genocides exacerbated by the effects of higher temperatures.
—Ed Simon
september 24, Literary Hub, 24 Sep. 2025
Implementation of Lysenko’s policies predictably led to a massive famine that killed literally millions of Ukrainians.
—D. Scott Schmid, Denver Post, 22 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for famine
Recent Examples of Synonyms for famine
Noun
-
Israel has limited aid to Gaza throughout the conflict, leading to desperate shortages of food and medicine.—
Greg Myre,
NPR,
9 Oct. 2025
-
The unrest on the island nation, triggered by power cuts and water shortages, has grown to reflect wider public anger over inequality, a cost-of-living crisis, and unemployment.—
Preeti Jha,
semafor.com,
8 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
Youths frustrated at a social media ban, corruption and lack of economic opportunities coordinated mass protests via Discord that helped bring down the government.—
Mandy Taheri,
MSNBC Newsweek,
3 Oct. 2025
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If the shutdown drags on, the lack of government data could strain investors’ understanding of the health of the labor market and path of inflation at a time when stocks are historically expensive and vulnerable to a surprise.—
John Towfighi,
CNN Money,
3 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
Mostly sunny and very warm; persistent dry weather will worsen drought conditions through the weekend.—
Alexander Coolidge,
Cincinnati Enquirer,
3 Oct. 2025
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As a result, vineyards are being planted in higher grounds and grape varieties are being replaced by others better adapted to higher temperatures and drought.—
Miguel A. Torres,
Time,
3 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Famine.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/famine. Accessed 9 Oct. 2025.
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