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
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 famine
There are growing fears of widespread famine and starvation in Gaza.
—
Mandy Taheri
jason Lemon, MSNBC Newsweek, 11 May 2025
In all, some 85 million people died in World War II, a figure that includes those who perished from famine and disease.
—Antony Beevor, Foreign Affairs, 7 May 2025
The war in Sudan has killed as many as 150,000 people, according to some estimates, and has led to the world's largest humanitarian crisis and worst famine in decades, according to the United Nations.
—Emmanuel Akinwotu, NPR, 6 May 2025
Throughout his papacy, though, Francis focused on the desperate and poor of the present, among them migrants, refugees, and those threatened by climate change or famine.
—Alan Yuhas, New York Times, 27 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for famine
Mandy Taheri
jason Lemon, MSNBC Newsweek, 11 May 2025
In all, some 85 million people died in World War II, a figure that includes those who perished from famine and disease.
—Antony Beevor, Foreign Affairs, 7 May 2025
The war in Sudan has killed as many as 150,000 people, according to some estimates, and has led to the world's largest humanitarian crisis and worst famine in decades, according to the United Nations.
—Emmanuel Akinwotu, NPR, 6 May 2025
Throughout his papacy, though, Francis focused on the desperate and poor of the present, among them migrants, refugees, and those threatened by climate change or famine.
—Alan Yuhas, New York Times, 27 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for famine
Recent Examples of Synonyms for famine
Noun
-
At least five controllers took 45 days of trauma leave after the incident, leading to a staffing shortage that canceled and delayed more than a thousand flights.—
Pete Muntean,
CNN Money,
19 May 2025
-
The Philadelphia air traffic control facility that handles flights at Newark is also experiencing a staffing shortage.—
Megan Cerullo,
CBS News,
19 May 2025
Noun
-
The result is a lack of options for extended families, working-class renters or seniors aging in place.—
Danny Villalobos,
Chicago Tribune,
13 May 2025
-
With Bailey, the Jazz are going to have to do a lot of work, because he’s got serious flaws in his game, namely the lack of ballhandling acumen.—
The Athletic NBA Staff,
New York Times,
13 May 2025
Noun
-
Heading into Friday’s Game 6, the New York Knicks hadn’t made it to the Eastern Conference finals since 2000, a drought as long as the camera phone is old.—
The Athletic NBA Staff,
New York Times,
17 May 2025
-
With more than a third of the contiguous U.S. in a drought, there has been a surge in the dangerous airborne flu-like disease in humans.—
Terry Collins,
USA Today,
17 May 2025
Cite this Entry
“Famine.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/famine. Accessed 24 May. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share