variants
also drouths
as in shortages
a falling short of an essential or desirable amount or number
there's been a drought of good movies this year
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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.
Recent Examples of droughts
Persistent droughts, explosive population growth, competing urban/industrial demands, and unreliable Rio Grande flows (despite recent 1944 Water Treaty progress) are draining reservoirs and threatening our $200B food & fiber economy.
—
Eleanor Dearman, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 14 Feb. 2026
Hot and dry forests become a tinderbox Record droughts and scorching temperatures created conditions conducive to wildfires in Chile and Argentina, the study found, while single-species plantations of highly flammable trees like pines helped the fires spread more easily in both areas.
—Isabel Debre, Los Angeles Times, 11 Feb. 2026
Climate advocacy groups pointed to statistics and studies that have concluded rising greenhouse gas emissions are driving more weather extremes, fueling more intense rainfall and more severe droughts.
—Joey Garrison, USA Today, 10 Feb. 2026
Previously, conservation enforcement largely kicked in during severe droughts, relying on temporary restrictions.
—Chaewon Chung, Sacbee.com, 10 Feb. 2026
These are tips that could, and should, become habits regardless of current or future droughts.
—Ashley Miznazi, Miami Herald, 10 Feb. 2026
Both franchises are all-in on second-generation coaches to end those droughts.
—Cam Inman, Mercury News, 10 Feb. 2026
This hardy herb can handle the sun and prolonged droughts and grows almost anywhere.
—Haniya Rae, Martha Stewart, 5 Feb. 2026
At the same time, climate impacts are getting real—droughts are supercharging fire seasons; hotter seas are intensifying hurricanes.
—Christian Elliott, The Atlantic, 31 Jan. 2026
Eleanor Dearman, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 14 Feb. 2026
Hot and dry forests become a tinderbox Record droughts and scorching temperatures created conditions conducive to wildfires in Chile and Argentina, the study found, while single-species plantations of highly flammable trees like pines helped the fires spread more easily in both areas.
—Isabel Debre, Los Angeles Times, 11 Feb. 2026
Climate advocacy groups pointed to statistics and studies that have concluded rising greenhouse gas emissions are driving more weather extremes, fueling more intense rainfall and more severe droughts.
—Joey Garrison, USA Today, 10 Feb. 2026
Previously, conservation enforcement largely kicked in during severe droughts, relying on temporary restrictions.
—Chaewon Chung, Sacbee.com, 10 Feb. 2026
These are tips that could, and should, become habits regardless of current or future droughts.
—Ashley Miznazi, Miami Herald, 10 Feb. 2026
Both franchises are all-in on second-generation coaches to end those droughts.
—Cam Inman, Mercury News, 10 Feb. 2026
This hardy herb can handle the sun and prolonged droughts and grows almost anywhere.
—Haniya Rae, Martha Stewart, 5 Feb. 2026
At the same time, climate impacts are getting real—droughts are supercharging fire seasons; hotter seas are intensifying hurricanes.
—Christian Elliott, The Atlantic, 31 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for droughts
Noun
-
Staffing shortages have plagued the grocery industry since the COVID-19 pandemic.—
Francesca Pica,
jsonline.com,
10 Feb. 2026
-
Joining Air New Zealand just as the COVID-19 pandemic loomed, Foran tackled a series of crises, from persistent shortages of engine components to the grounding of up to 11 aircraft.—
Alexander Coolidge,
Cincinnati Enquirer,
9 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Each provides amino acids that the other lacks, so eating them together gives you all the essential amino acids.—
Merve Ceylan,
Health,
27 Jan. 2026
-
Economic theory would suggest that the best place to make a major investment such as a STAR bond would be in a place that has low, or lacks, economic activity.—
Sofi Zeman
January 21,
Kansas City Star,
21 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Droughts.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/droughts. Accessed 17 Feb. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
