ISEE/SSAT Vocabulary BuilderWordsDdearth
ISEE/SSAThard
dearth
Meaning: a scarcity or lack of something
dearth in a sentence
How dearth is used in real sentences:
There was a dearth of fresh vegetables in the store after the storm.
A dearth of rain left the farmers worried about their crops.
“Because there was a dearth of reliable surveys, negotiators had to glean facts bit by bit from traders, soldiers, and scattered land records.”
— from the passage Where the River Moved
Synonyms for dearth
Other words for dearth — scarcity, shortage and paucity — carry the same meaning.
- scarcity
- shortage
- paucity
Antonyms of dearth
Words that mean the opposite of dearth:
- abundance
- surplus
Where it comes from
From Middle English derthe, related to 'dear' meaning costly
Memory hook
DEARTH sounds like 'dirt' — when supplies run out, all that's left is dirt.