noun
dearth
durth
noun
1
A serious shortage or scarcity of something.
"There is a dearth of affordable housing in the city."
"The dearth of skilled workers has slowed the project."
How to Use Dearth
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishA shortage — not enough of something to go around.
Common mistake
Dearth always means a lack of something — it's never used to mean an abundance, unlike some other archaic-sounding words.
Common pairings
dearth of information
dearth of talent
dearth of evidence
Word Forms
dearthed past tense, dearths plural, dearths singular
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There is a _____ of affordable housing in the city.
Etymology
From Old English roots related to dear (in the sense of "costly"), reflecting how scarcity drives prices up.