1
as in shortage
a falling short of an essential or desirable amount or number
there was a dearth of usable firewood at the campsite
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in lack
the fact or state of being absent
the dearth of salesclerks at the shoe store annoyed us
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of dearth
Yet the skyrocketing cost of housing and the dearth of legal protections ensuring homeownership during economic downturns have dimmed this dream.
—
Michaëla De Lacaze Mohrmann, Artforum, 1 Jan. 2026
Johnson County has a dearth of affordable housing.
—Eric Adler
december 22, Kansas City Star, 22 Dec. 2025
Some cues that trigger changes in gene expression are programmed into DNA, while others come from the environment — for example, a dearth of calories or nutrients due to food deprivation, or rising cortisol levels due to stressors such as the absence of parental care.
—Ivan Amato, Quanta Magazine, 22 Dec. 2025
Faced with an often-crushing dearth of resources and little time to provide individual attention to students, many teachers at the workshop were eager to learn how AI systems can enhance — not replace — existing education methods.
—Jared Perlo, NBC news, 22 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for dearth
Michaëla De Lacaze Mohrmann, Artforum, 1 Jan. 2026
Johnson County has a dearth of affordable housing.
—Eric Adler
december 22, Kansas City Star, 22 Dec. 2025
Some cues that trigger changes in gene expression are programmed into DNA, while others come from the environment — for example, a dearth of calories or nutrients due to food deprivation, or rising cortisol levels due to stressors such as the absence of parental care.
—Ivan Amato, Quanta Magazine, 22 Dec. 2025
Faced with an often-crushing dearth of resources and little time to provide individual attention to students, many teachers at the workshop were eager to learn how AI systems can enhance — not replace — existing education methods.
—Jared Perlo, NBC news, 22 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for dearth
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dearth
Noun
-
Wagner said the shortages of equipment and staff will have a lasting impact on rebuilding in his community.—
Jeff Nguyen,
CBS News,
9 Jan. 2026
-
Sale speculation has surrounded Puma since last September, and there’s been no shortage on who could be buyers for the German sportswear brand.—
Vicki M. Young,
Footwear News,
8 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
The court acquitted Kim of two other charges, citing a lack of evidence and other reasons.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
29 Jan. 2026
-
The meeting was canceled because of a lack of a quorum.—
Benjamin Weinthal,
FOXNews.com,
29 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
Vince Gill, the country star who joined the band after original member Glenn Frey died in 2016, shouldered most of the load caused by Walsh’s absence.—
Jim Harrington,
Mercury News,
25 Jan. 2026
-
The White Stadium project is moving forward without a comprehensive assessment of its environmental, transportation, and economic impacts — an absence that is not procedural but consequential.—
Ed Gaskin,
Boston Herald,
25 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Dearth.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dearth. Accessed 29 Jan. 2026.
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