drought

1 of 2

noun

ˈdrau̇t How to pronounce drought (audio)
variants or less commonly drouth
ˈdrau̇th How to pronounce drought (audio)
Synonyms of drought
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 How to pronounce drought (audio)
noun
droughty
ˈdrau̇-tē
adjective

droughty

2 of 2

adjective

variants or drouthy
|ē, 
|i
-er/-est
1
: dry, arid : lacking moisture
the droughty desert—A. D. Carruthers
2
: of, relating to, or afflicted by a prolonged drought
we look into a droughty sky—I. R. Tannehill
over most of the area droughty conditions still prevail
3
: thirsty

Synonyms of drought

Relevance

Noun

See All Synonyms & Antonyms in Thesaurus

Examples of drought in a Sentence

Noun The drought caused serious damage to crops. a period of drought that lasted several years
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.
Noun
The destruction releases vast stores of carbon, adding to climate change that is already contributing to drought and forest fires across the tropics. — Ruben Nyanguila, semafor.com, 16 Oct. 2026 Brady Tkachuk ended his six-game goal-less drought to begin his Florida Panthers career by logging a natural hat trick on Tuesday, scoring three consecutive goals in an eventual 7-3 road win over the Columbus Blue Jackets. — Jordan McPherson, Miami Herald, 16 Oct. 2026 By holding water on the land, these peatlands not only reduce the risk of flooding downstream, but also buffer the landscape against drought, keeping soils moist and supporting nearby forests through dry spells. — Literary Hub, 16 Oct. 2026 In other words, a Super El Niño could improve the odds of a wetter season without guaranteeing above-average snowfall or widespread drought relief. — Callie Zanandrie, CBS News, 16 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for drought

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English, from Old English drūgath, from drūgian to dry up; akin to Old English drȳge dry — more at dry

First Known Use

Noun

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of drought was before the 12th century

Rhymes for drought

See All Rhymes for drought

Browse Nearby Words

Drouet
drought
droughtiness
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Drought.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/drought. Accessed 20 Oct. 2026.

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Kids Definition

drought

noun
variants also drouth
ˈdrau̇t How to pronounce drought (audio)
ˈdrau̇th
: a long period of dry weather
droughty
-ē
adjective

More from Merriam-Webster on drought

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about drought

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