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
It’s been feast or famine with the Mets’ bats this season, and the problems hitting with runners in scoring position haven’t gone away.
—
Abbey Mastracco, New York Daily News, 17 July 2025
Experts say hunger is widespread among Gaza's 2 million Palestinians and that Israel's blockade and military offensive have put them at risk of famine.
—arkansasonline.com, 12 July 2025
The United Nations estimates that most of Gaza's population has been displaced, with nearly half a million people facing famine in the coming months.
—USA Today, 9 July 2025
This year also marks the 40th anniversary of Live Aid, the global benefit concert organized by Bob Geldof to raise money for famine relief in Ethiopia that featured dozens of musicians in London and Philadelphia simultaneously.
—Jean E. Palmieri, Footwear News, 14 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for famine
Abbey Mastracco, New York Daily News, 17 July 2025
Experts say hunger is widespread among Gaza's 2 million Palestinians and that Israel's blockade and military offensive have put them at risk of famine.
—arkansasonline.com, 12 July 2025
The United Nations estimates that most of Gaza's population has been displaced, with nearly half a million people facing famine in the coming months.
—USA Today, 9 July 2025
This year also marks the 40th anniversary of Live Aid, the global benefit concert organized by Bob Geldof to raise money for famine relief in Ethiopia that featured dozens of musicians in London and Philadelphia simultaneously.
—Jean E. Palmieri, Footwear News, 14 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for famine
Recent Examples of Synonyms for famine
Noun
-
Spain, to cite but one example, has a housing shortage and is currently considering levying a 100% tax on foreign buyers of real estate.—
William P. Barrett,
Forbes.com,
19 July 2025
-
California already faces some of the highest housing costs in the country and a shortage of construction workers.—
Umair Irfan,
Wired News,
19 July 2025
Noun
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The person denied being responsible for the noose, police said, noting that due to a lack of eyewitnesses and legal probable cause, no charges are expected against the person, who will not be allowed to return for any type of stadium construction.—
Craig Shoup,
Nashville Tennessean,
24 July 2025
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And the Covid episode itself--when inflation hit 9% before the Fed finally began hiking dramatically--remains a major point of concern about the institution’s lack of intellectual diversity.—
Kelly Evans,
CNBC,
24 July 2025
Noun
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Climate volatility is accelerating, with swings between drought and deluge (what climate scientist Daniel Swain has called hydroclimate whiplash) becoming more common.—
Felicia Jackson,
Forbes.com,
15 July 2025
-
The drought has been particularly felt in the NL, which boasts right now only one .300 hitter—Dodgers catcher Will Smith at .323.—
Barry M. Bloom,
Sportico.com,
14 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Famine.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/famine. Accessed 29 Jul. 2025.
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