famine
ˈfæmɪn
Definition Synonyms

Definition of famine - Reverso English Dictionary

Noun

1.
crisisextreme shortage of food in a region
  • The famine in the region lasted for months.
dearth hunger starvation
2.
resource scarcitysevere shortage or lack of something
  • There was a famine of clean water after the storm.
dearth scarcity shortage
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Expressions with famine

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situation with either too much or too little
In sales, it's often feast or famine.
chronic shortage of time for personal activities
Parents often face a time famine when balancing work and family.
bread made with poor ingredients during famine or scarcity
During the famine, people survived on famine bread.
severe need can push people to create new ideas
With supplies low, they proved that famine breeds innovation.
long period without playoff appearances
The team ended its playoff famine after ten years.
food eaten during famine when usual food is unavailable
During the drought, people relied on famine food like wild roots.

Origin of famine

Latin, fames (hunger)

Terms with famine included in their meaning

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apocalypse
symbolic figures representing conquest, war, famine, and plague
history
famine in Ireland from 1846 to 1851
famine
period when food is rare and expensive
history
famine in Ireland from 1845 to 1852
apocalypse
famine as one of the Four Horsemen
Irish famine
famine in Ireland caused by potato blight
scarcity
food eaten during famine when usual food is unavailable
history
famine in Ireland caused by potato blight

Examples of famine in a sentence

  • Efforts to alleviate the famine were underway.
  • The famine of medical supplies was critical during the epidemic.
  • A famine of information led to widespread confusion.

View all translations of famine

Click below to see the appropriate translations facing each meaning.
  1. French:famine, disette, ...
  2. German:Hungersnot, Mangel, ...
  3. Italian:carestia, penuria, ...
  4. Spanish:hambruna, escasez, ...
  5. Portuguese:fome, escassez, ...
  6. Chinese:饥荒, 缺乏, ...
  7. Japanese:飢饉, 欠乏, ...
  8. Arabic:مَجاعَة, نَقص حاد, ...
  9. Hebrew:רָעָב, מַחְסוֹר, ...
  10. Russian:голод, нехватка, ...
  11. Ukrainian:голод, нестача, ...
  12. Hindi:अकाल, किल्लत, ...

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