dearth

American  

[durth] / dɜrθ /

noun

1. an inadequate supply; scarcity; lack.

   There is a dearth of good engineers.

   Synonyms:

   insufficiency, paucity, want, shortage

   Antonyms:

   surplus, sufficiency, plenty, abundance

2. scarcity and dearness of food; famine.

---

dearth British  

/ dɜːθ /

noun

1. an inadequate amount, esp of food; scarcity

---

Usage

What does dearth mean? A dearth of something is a lack or scarcity of it. The word is especially used in serious situations in which there is a shortage of something important. It is usually followed by of and the thing that is lacking, as in a dearth of resources or a dearth of clean water. Much less commonly, dearth is used in a more specific way to refer to a scarcity of food—a famine. Example: The dearth of teachers has resulted in large class sizes.

Etymology

Origin of dearth

First recorded in 1200–50, dearth is from the Middle English word derthe. See dear ¹, -th ¹

Explanation

If there is a dearth of something, there is not enough of it. A dearth of cupcakes is unfortunate, but a dearth of nutritious food is a serious problem. Dearth is an Old English noun formed from the adjective deore, "precious, costly," and the noun-forming suffix -th. Though the relationship of dearth meaning "lack, insufficient amount" to the adjective dear is not so obvious, it is still easy to imagine that something precious is probably also in short supply. Dearth is used almost exclusively in the phrase "a dearth of."

Example Sentences

There was no dearth of viewing material in Harris Norton’s house.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 21, 2026

She now leads the endometriosis service for the Northern Care Alliance and said there was a "dearth of training" and therefore problem "identifying and diagnosing" the disease.

From BBC • Mar. 23, 2026

Today the nations such as China that embraced population control most wholeheartedly are now worried about a birth dearth.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 17, 2026

Didn’t happen, of course, and today we are more concerned about a birth dearth instead.

From Barron's • Feb. 25, 2026

The rock, exhibiting a dearth of holds and coated with six inches of crumbly rime, did not look promising, but just left of the main prow was a shallow comer glazed with frozen meltwater.

From "Into the Wild" by Jon Krakauer

Related Words

• absence
• deficiency
• inadequacy
• lack
• paucity
• shortage