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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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 It is not meant to recall Stalin’s seizure of farms, which resulted in mass famine, or Mao’s Great Leap Forward, which also resulted in mass famine. — Idrees Kahloon, The Atlantic, 6 July 2026 The conflict has killed at least 59,000 people, displaced some 13 million and pushed many parts of Sudan into famine. — ABC News, 6 July 2026 After 1840, immigration from Western Europe began to rise quickly as political instability in Germany and the famine in Ireland drove people to leave. — Albert Sun, New York Times, 2 July 2026 About 26 million people are facing food insecurity and imminent famine has been flagged in several areas of Darfur. — Janine Di Giovanni, Vanity Fair, 25 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for famine

Recent Examples of Synonyms for famine

Noun

The divergence is over whether the worker shortage is improving slowly or still getting worse, and what the Supreme Court should do about it.

— Sonja Sharp, Los Angeles Times, 6 July 2026
Lights had been switched off to conserve electricity amid fuel shortages that have gripped Cuba since the beginning of the year.

— Romina Ruiz-Goiriena, USA Today, 6 July 2026

Definition of shortage

Noun

One Calabria hospital had lines several hours long Despite growing tourism and a strong farming economy, Calabria symbolizes southern Italy’s lack of development compared to the more wealthy and industrialized north.

— Paolo Santalucia, Los Angeles Times, 9 July 2026
Josh Houston, who also filed complaints with state and federal agencies, said his biggest concern has been the lack of communication surrounding the project affecting the subdivision’s only access road.

— Nora O'Neill, Charlotte Observer, 9 July 2026

Definition of lack

Noun

Americans across the nation are being asked (or ordered) to conserve water, thanks to widespread drought made even worse by a punishing heat wave.

— Jeanine Santucci, USA Today, 5 July 2026
Efraín Juárez, then the coach of Pumas, was asked about the possibility of his team ending a long title drought.

— Eduard Cauich, Los Angeles Times, 5 July 2026

Definition of drought

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family way

famine

famines

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Style

“Famine.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/famine. Accessed 11 Jul. 2026.

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Synonyms of famine

noun

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