YOUR VOCABULARY, ONE WORD AT A TIME

dearth

Noun

IPA /dɜːθ/

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Meaning in plain English

A shortage of something that is needed or wanted.

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Pronunciation

dearth/dɜːθ/

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Many people need affordable homes
Only a few suitable homes are available

A dearth means that the available amount falls short of what is needed.

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There is a dearth of affordable flats near the station.
The researchers found a dearth of reliable data on the topic.

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There is a ________ of affordable flats near the station.

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dearth — A shortage of something that is needed or wanted.

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A shortage of something that is needed or wanted.

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Word origin

From Middle English derthe, related to dear and the noun-forming ending -th.

Did you know?

A dearth of is the usual phrase, followed by the thing in short supply.

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