drought
B2Neutral; formal in technical/scientific contexts.
Definition
Meaning
A prolonged period of abnormally low rainfall, leading to a shortage of water.
A prolonged or chronic shortage or lack of something non-physical.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
Primarily a count noun ('a severe drought'), though can be used as a non-count abstract concept ('the risk of drought'). The extended meaning ('a drought of ideas') is metaphoric.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No major lexical or semantic differences. Pronunciation differs.
Connotations
Identical in both varieties.
Frequency
Equally common in both varieties given its global relevance.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
[N] + of + [N] (a drought of creativity)suffer from + [drought]be hit by + [drought]during/in + [drought]Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “Break the drought (to end a period without success).”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Referring to a prolonged downturn in sales or investment.
Academic
In environmental science, geography, and climate studies.
Everyday
Discussing weather, gardening, farming, and water restrictions.
Technical
Specific metrics like the Palmer Drought Severity Index (PDSI).
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- The region is currently droughting. (rare, non-standard)
American English
- The land droughted for months. (rare, non-standard)
adjective
British English
- drought-resistant crops
- drought-stricken region
American English
- drought-tolerant plants
- drought-affected area
Examples
By CEFR Level
- The plants died because of the drought.
- There was a drought last summer.
- The long drought has caused serious problems for farmers.
- They are building a reservoir to prepare for future droughts.
- The government has announced emergency measures to cope with the severe drought.
- A three-year drought has drastically lowered the water table.
- The anthropologist studied the societal impacts of the protracted drought.
- The recent drought of innovative proposals in the department is concerning.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of 'DRY' + 'OUT' combined to make DROUGHT – the land is dried out.
Conceptual Metaphor
DROUGHT IS A LACK/ABSENCE (extended to ideas, opportunities, resources).
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Не путать с 'засуха' (drought) и 'засушить' (to dry out). 'Drought' — существительное, 'draught' (сквозняк, черновик) — омофон в британском английском.
Common Mistakes
- Misspelling as 'drouth' (archaic) or 'draught'. Incorrect preposition: 'in the drought' vs. 'during the drought'.
Practice
Quiz
Which of the following best describes the core meaning of 'drought'?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
A drought is a natural weather event (lack of rain). A famine is a widespread scarcity of food, which can be caused by drought but also by other factors like war or economic policy.
It rhymes with 'out' and 'trout'. The 'gh' is silent: /draʊt/.
Yes, metaphorically. For example: 'The team finally scored, ending a ten-game goal drought.'
'Drouth' is an archaic or dialectal variant. The standard modern spelling is always 'drought'.
Collections
Part of a collection
Weather
A2 · 45 words · Describing the weather, climate and seasons.
Environment
B1 · 47 words · Nature, ecology and environmental issues.