Drought Definition, Examples, and Usage

Meaning 1：long dry spell (drought)

drought 🔊

/draʊt/

A long period when there is very little or no rain, causing the ground to become very dry.

Drought aerial view of cracked dry riverbed with withered tree

long dry spell 🔊

➕

/lɔːŋ draɪ spɛl/

A drought is an extended period of time when a region experiences significantly less rainfall than normal, leading to water shortages and dry conditions.

📁 Category：Natural Geography 🔖 Level：Intermediate

📘 Details & Usage

📖 Root Explanation

From Old English 'drugaþ', related to 'dry' (dry + -th noun suffix).

💡 Mnemonic

'Drought' = 'dry' + 'out' with a silent 'gh'. Imagine the land is so dry it's 'dried out'.

📖 Example

The drought has lasted for three months, and the once-green fields are now just cracked, brown earth. 🔊 The drought has lasted for three months, and the once-green fields are now just cracked, brown earth.

🔗 Collocations

severe drought – A drought that is extremely serious or intense

drought-resistant crops – Crops that are able to survive with very little water

drought-stricken area – A region that is severely affected by a drought

🔄 Synonyms

dry spell (n.) – A period of time with little or no rain, similar to a drought but often shorter.

water shortage (n.) – A situation where there is not enough water for normal needs, often caused by a drought.

aridity (n.) – The state of being extremely dry, often a characteristic of desert climates.

🚫 Antonyms

flood (n.) – A large amount of water covering an area that is usually dry, often caused by heavy rain.

deluge (n.) – A severe flood or a very heavy rainfall.

downpour (n.) – A heavy and sudden fall of rain.

🌱 Derivatives

droughty (adj.) – Characterized by or experiencing drought; dry and parched.

📖 Cultural Story

Originates from Proto-Germanic *drūgō, meaning 'dryness'. Historically, droughts have shaped civilizations, e.g., the Dust Bowl in 1930s America.