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
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Recent Examples of famine
It is estimated that the major famines in India during the British rule contributed to the deaths for millions of the population.
—
Sophie Williams, Billboard, 21 Jan. 2025
The conflict resulted in the world’s largest humanitarian catastrophe with over 30 million people in need of humanitarian assistance, and over 638,000 people experiencing the worst famine in Sudan’s recent history.
—Dr. Ewelina U. Ochab, Forbes, 8 Jan. 2025
No other society has ever faced a steeper population decline absent war, disease or famine.
—Micah McCartney, Newsweek, 22 Jan. 2025
The pause in fighting is the first phase of the truce, announced last week, and will bring relief to the people of Gaza who have experienced destruction and famine in the region.
—Lauren Irwin, The Hill, 19 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for famine 
Sophie Williams, Billboard, 21 Jan. 2025
The conflict resulted in the world’s largest humanitarian catastrophe with over 30 million people in need of humanitarian assistance, and over 638,000 people experiencing the worst famine in Sudan’s recent history.
—Dr. Ewelina U. Ochab, Forbes, 8 Jan. 2025
No other society has ever faced a steeper population decline absent war, disease or famine.
—Micah McCartney, Newsweek, 22 Jan. 2025
The pause in fighting is the first phase of the truce, announced last week, and will bring relief to the people of Gaza who have experienced destruction and famine in the region.
—Lauren Irwin, The Hill, 19 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for famine
Recent Examples of Synonyms for famine
Noun
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Local leaders hope the recruitment campaign will help attract candidates amid a nationwide shortage of doctors.—
Daniel Chang,
CBS News,
11 Feb. 2025
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But if the tariffs cause local shortages, prices could spike by more than 30 cents per gallon.—
Spencer Kimball,
CNBC,
11 Feb. 2025
Noun
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There’s also no interior light, and for the price, that lack of a light, combined with the missing preheat feature, kept this one out of our top picks.—
Emily Farris,
Bon Appétit,
18 Feb. 2025
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The lack of a swift deal, the furore and the anxiety of the past week are ultimately in Putin’s interests.—
Nick Paton Walsh,
CNN,
18 Feb. 2025
Noun
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White Hall finally ended the drought when Tristan Dunlap made a jumper in the closing seconds of the quarter as the Bulldogs trailed 25-9.—
Jeff Halpern Special to the Democrat-Gazette,
arkansasonline.com,
8 Feb. 2025
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Alongside crime, drought from the El Niño weather phenomenon has crippled Ecuador’s hydroelectric plants and thrown the country into an energy crisis.—
Max Saltman,
CNN,
8 Feb. 2025
Thesaurus Entries Near famine
Cite this Entry
“Famine.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/famine. Accessed 21 Feb. 2025.
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