FAMINE Synonyms: 44 Similar and Opposite Words

famine

noun

ˈfa-mən

Definition of famine

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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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 famine Instead, when exposed to the same influx of nutrients, bacteria that had just experienced a feast-and-famine environment adapted much faster than bacteria coming from a stable environment. — Shiladitya Banerjee, The Conversation, 10 Sep. 2026 When famine hit Gaza as a result of an Israeli blockade last year, Khalaf organized a fundraising dinner at Saj Fresh Grill to raise awareness. — Miguel Otárola, Denver Post, 10 Sep. 2026 Records from older disasters are often incomplete, and some estimates include people who died from famine, disease and displacement in the months that followed, while others count only deaths directly caused by the flood. — Kaif Shaikh, Interesting Engineering, 6 Sep. 2026 Regardless of war, famine, genocide, and the horrors of this most brutal of ages. — Literary Hub, 2 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for famine

Recent Examples of Synonyms for famine

Noun

In addition, costs associated with the generation of electricity typically rise in the winter, when Connecticut and other New England states face shortages of natural gas used to fuel power plants.

— John Moritz, Hartford Courant, 18 Sep. 2026
The memo said assistant principals who are teaching classes exempted from the law — due to a shortage of space or licensed teachers — will also receive the extra pay.

— Cayla Bamberger, New York Daily News, 18 Sep. 2026

Definition of shortage

Noun

The ongoing conflict that has driven people from their homes in Iran as well as an internet shutdown and a lack of full cooperation from the two governments partially impeded the team's efforts to get information.

— Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 18 Sep. 2026
A lot of the critiques up to this point have been about a lack of fluidity and flow to dancers — people look stiff, this isn’t surprising — but all of that is gone here.

— Maggie Fremont, Vulture, 17 Sep. 2026

Definition of lack

Noun

Strict regulations, punishing conditions This summer, more than three-quarters of France’s 80 producers of Salers cheese – a semi-hard, raw cow’s milk cheese – were brought to a standstill following a series of heat waves and accompanying drought.

— Vivian Song, CNN Money, 6 Sep. 2026
Goldman Sachs said in a note that drought during the growing season could lower cane yields, while excessive rainfall during harvest could interrupt fieldwork and reduce the sugar content of cane.

— Deena Zaidi, CNBC, 6 Sep. 2026

Definition of drought

Browse Nearby Words

family way

famine

famines

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“Famine.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/famine. Accessed 19 Sep. 2026.

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Synonyms of famine

noun

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