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
Examples of famine in a Sentence
The famine affected half the continent.
millions killed by war, drought, and famine
Recent Examples on the Web
Amid the threat of famine, WCK worked to open a maritime corridor to the enclave, and partnered with the United Arab Emirates and Spanish NGO Open Arms to deliver several hundred tons of humanitarian aid.
—
Sean Gregory, TIME, 30 May 2024
And the latest problem for the pier saw a small U.S. vessel, along with part of the dock, becomes stuck on Israel's Ashdod shore because of rough seas, and as the U.N. estimates just 15 percent of the aid needed for the over two million people facing famine in Gaza is currently getting in.
—CBS News, 26 May 2024
See all Example Sentences for famine 
Sean Gregory, TIME, 30 May 2024
And the latest problem for the pier saw a small U.S. vessel, along with part of the dock, becomes stuck on Israel's Ashdod shore because of rough seas, and as the U.N. estimates just 15 percent of the aid needed for the over two million people facing famine in Gaza is currently getting in.
—CBS News, 26 May 2024
See all Example Sentences for famine
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'famine.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near famine
Cite this Entry
“Famine.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/famine. Accessed 5 Jun. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
famine
noun
fam·ine
ˈfam-ən 
1
: an extreme general shortage of food
2
: a great shortage
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