drought
noun
ˈdrau̇t 
variants or less commonly drouth
ˈdrau̇th
1
: a period of dryness especially when prolonged
specifically : one that causes extensive damage to crops or prevents their successful growth
resistant to drought
2
: a prolonged or chronic shortage or lack of something expected or desired
a drought of creativity
droughtiness
ˈdrau̇-tē-nəs
noun droughty adjective
ˈdrau̇-tē
Synonyms
- crunch
- dearth
- deficiency
- deficit
- failure
- famine
- inadequacy
- inadequateness
- insufficiency
- lack
- lacuna
- paucity
- pinch
- poverty
- scantiness
- scarceness
- scarcity
- shortage
- undersupply
- want
See all Synonyms & Antonyms 
Example Sentences
The drought caused serious damage to crops. a period of drought that lasted several years
Recent Examples on the Web The heat and drought relief offered by such rain would be beneficial in this exceptionally dry region. 
Jason Samenow, Washington Post, 7 Sep. 2022 The organization is in dire need of water during this time of extreme heat and drought. Madalyn Amato, Los Angeles Times, 1 Sep. 2022 And that is likely to happen more often as the climate warms, particularly in the Midwest and Great Plains where heat, drought, fire and flood are challenging long-standing farm practices. Daniel Cusick, Scientific American, 24 Aug. 2022 Numerous fires have started over the past week amid the high heat and drought, with particularly intense blazes in central parts of the country near Chongqing, a city along the trickling Yangtze River. Christian Shepherd, Ian Livingston, Anchorage Daily News, 24 Aug. 2022 Sichuan ordered most factories to close for six days through Saturday because of extreme heat and drought that have caused a power crunch. Laura He, CNN, 22 Aug. 2022 Both heat and drought tolerant, this low-maintenance perennial is a butterfly magnet that blooms late spring through frost. Terri Robertson, Country Living, 1 Aug. 2022 Corn crops that died due to extreme heat and drought during a heatwave in Austin, Texas, US, on Monday, July 11, 2022. Irina Ivanova, CBS News, 29 July 2022 Texas is among several states in the southwestern United States that are experiencing sudden wildfires as severe heat and drought have created ripe conditions for fires. Lawrence Richard, Fox News, 27 July 2022 See More
Jason Samenow, Washington Post, 7 Sep. 2022 The organization is in dire need of water during this time of extreme heat and drought. Madalyn Amato, Los Angeles Times, 1 Sep. 2022 And that is likely to happen more often as the climate warms, particularly in the Midwest and Great Plains where heat, drought, fire and flood are challenging long-standing farm practices. Daniel Cusick, Scientific American, 24 Aug. 2022 Numerous fires have started over the past week amid the high heat and drought, with particularly intense blazes in central parts of the country near Chongqing, a city along the trickling Yangtze River. Christian Shepherd, Ian Livingston, Anchorage Daily News, 24 Aug. 2022 Sichuan ordered most factories to close for six days through Saturday because of extreme heat and drought that have caused a power crunch. Laura He, CNN, 22 Aug. 2022 Both heat and drought tolerant, this low-maintenance perennial is a butterfly magnet that blooms late spring through frost. Terri Robertson, Country Living, 1 Aug. 2022 Corn crops that died due to extreme heat and drought during a heatwave in Austin, Texas, US, on Monday, July 11, 2022. Irina Ivanova, CBS News, 29 July 2022 Texas is among several states in the southwestern United States that are experiencing sudden wildfires as severe heat and drought have created ripe conditions for fires. Lawrence Richard, Fox News, 27 July 2022 See More Word History
Etymology
Middle English, from Old English drūgath, from drūgian to dry up; akin to Old English drȳge dry — more at dry
First Known Use
before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1
Kids Definition
drought
noun
ˈdrau̇t
: a long period of time during which there is very little or no rain
drought
noun
variants also drouth
as in shortage
a falling short of an essential or desirable amount or number there's been a drought of good movies this year Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
- shortage
- lack
- famine
- deficit
- scarcity
- poverty
- deficiency
- inadequacy
- paucity
- undersupply
- insufficiency
- crunch
- dearth
- scantiness
- pinch
- lacuna
- failure
- inadequateness
- scarceness
- absence
- omission
- want
- privation
- necessity
- meagerness
- skimpiness
- need
- poorness
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- abundance
- amplitude
- adequacy
- opulence
- wealth
- sufficiency
- surplus
- plenty
- plenitude
- excess
- oversupply
- overabundance
- surfeit
- bountifulness
- copiousness