dearth
A shortage of something, so there is not enough to go around.
dearth in a sentence
- Because of the dearth of rain that summer, the farmer's field produced hardly any crops.
- There was a dearth of chairs at the party, so half the guests had to sit on cushions.
Try an 11+ style question
Verbal reasoning papers often ask about a word like this.
Which word is closest in meaning to dearth?
- Aplenty
- Black
- Cabundance
- Dexcess
Show the answer
B: lack. The other three mean the opposite of dearth.
Which word is most nearly opposite in meaning to dearth?
- Aplenty
- Bshortage
- Clack
- Dscarcity
Show the answer
A: plenty. The other three mean nearly the same as dearth.
Words that mean something similar
lack, shortage, scarcity
Words that mean the opposite
plenty, abundance, excess
More words about size & amount
- dense: Packed closely together, or very thick.
- deplete: To use something up until very little is left.
- destitute: Having no money and none of the things you need to live.
- diluted: Made weaker or thinner by adding water or another liquid.
- dwindle: To become smaller or fewer, little by little.
- economical: Careful not to waste money, time or materials.
- enormous: Extremely large.
- estimate: To work out roughly how much or how many, without counting exactly.
More words to explore
Sitting the 11+ in Kent, Medway or Buckinghamshire?
Plain-English guides to each test, from the councils’ own pages: Kent Test · Medway Test · Bucks Secondary Transfer Test