famine

noun

fam·​ine ˈfa-mən How to pronounce famine (audio)
Synonyms of famine
1
: an extreme scarcity of food
The famine affected most of the country.
2
archaic : starvation
3
archaic : a ravenous appetite
4
: a great shortage
Transportation problems resulted in a coal famine.

Synonyms of famine

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Examples of famine in a Sentence

The famine affected half the continent. millions killed by war, drought, and famine
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Perhaps a famine, an outbreak of disease, or social upheaval? — Mike McRae 25, New Atlas, 26 Aug. 2026 Fincher’s awards history with his Netflix films have been feast (Mank) or famine (The Killer). — Joe Reid, Vulture, 25 Aug. 2026 Poliński said Zosia would likely have been blamed for misfortunes such as disease and famine that often plagued the region in the 17th century, which people sometimes attributed to supernatural activity by the dead. — Katie Hunt, CNN Money, 21 Aug. 2026 That El Niño is attributed to tens of millions of deaths from global famine. — Sean MacAday, Sacbee.com, 18 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for famine

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Anglo-French, from feim, faim hunger, from Latin fames

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of famine was in the 14th century

Rhymes for famine

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Browse Nearby Words

family way
famine
famine bread
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Cite this Entry

“Famine.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/famine. Accessed 1 Sep. 2026.

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Kids Definition

famine

noun
fam·​ine ˈfam-ən How to pronounce famine (audio)
1
: an extreme general shortage of food
2
: a great shortage

More from Merriam-Webster on famine

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about famine

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