How to pronounce dearth
Say it like DURTH. Dearth is a single syllable, so the whole word carries the stress.
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce dearth. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- DURTH
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Dearth pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- DURTHSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "ur" in nurse.
American vs British pronunciation of dearth
- Americans pronounce the r after a vowel; most British speakers leave it silent and lengthen the vowel instead.
British respelling: DURTH.
What does dearth mean?
- A period or condition when food is rare and hence expensive; famine.
- Scarcity; a lack or short supply.
Where does dearth come from?
First attested at least as early as the late 1300s, and appearing in Tyndale’s Pentateuch (1530) as well as the Coverdale Bible (1535).
Similar and opposite words
Similar meaning
Words that rhyme with dearth
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of dearth.
Questions about saying dearth
How do you pronounce dearth?
Say DURTH. The American pronunciation is /dɝθ/. In British English it is /dɜːθ/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in dearth?
Dearth is a single syllable, so the whole word carries the stress. Broken into parts: DURTH.
Is dearth pronounced differently in British English?
Yes. Americans pronounce the r after a vowel; most British speakers leave it silent and lengthen the vowel instead. The British form is /dɜːθ/ (DURTH).