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
These are among the many questions posed by Simon Morrison’s sprawling biography of place, which seeks to understand a nation through the life of its largest city, tracing Moscow’s evolution via dozens of historical upheavals, from war, famine, drought, and much, much more.
—
Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 6 Jan. 2026
The dinner table isn’t the only place feeling the feta famine.
—Margaux Anbouba, Vogue, 1 Jan. 2026
The idea to bring joy to the winter came from a Communist Party leader named Pavel Postyshev, who had been one of the famine’s administrators.
—Andrew Fedorov, The Atlantic, 31 Dec. 2025
International organizations warn of the risk of falling back into famine if conditions worsen.
—Mohammed R. Mhawish, New Yorker, 29 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for famine
Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 6 Jan. 2026
The dinner table isn’t the only place feeling the feta famine.
—Margaux Anbouba, Vogue, 1 Jan. 2026
The idea to bring joy to the winter came from a Communist Party leader named Pavel Postyshev, who had been one of the famine’s administrators.
—Andrew Fedorov, The Atlantic, 31 Dec. 2025
International organizations warn of the risk of falling back into famine if conditions worsen.
—Mohammed R. Mhawish, New Yorker, 29 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for famine
Recent Examples of Synonyms for famine
Noun
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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
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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
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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
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Data center consumption of water is also a concern particularly given Colorado’s drought conditions.—
Krista Kafer,
Denver Post,
25 Jan. 2026
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Sean O’Malley Back in the Win Column The former UFC bantamweight champion is back in the winners column after a two-year drought.—
Brian Mazique,
Forbes.com,
25 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Famine.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/famine. Accessed 1 Feb. 2026.
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