What's the difference between
and
Enter two words to compare and contrast their definitions, origins, and synonyms to better understand how those words are related.

Dearth vs Paltry - What's the difference?

dearth | paltry |

As a noun dearth

is a period or condition when food is rare and hence expensive; famine.

As an adjective paltry is

trashy, trivial, of little value.

dearth

English

Noun

(en noun)
  • (rfc-sense) A period or condition when food is rare and hence expensive; famine.
  • (by extension) Scarcity; a lack or short supply.
  • * 1608 , William Shakespeare, King Lear :
    • I promise you, the effects he writes of succeed unhappily: as of unnaturalness between the child and the parent; death, dearth , dissolutions of ancient amities; divisions in state, menaces and maledictions against king and nobles; needless diffidences, banishment of friends, dissipation of cohorts, nuptial breaches, and I know not what.
  • *
  • (obsolete) Dearness; the quality of being rare or costly.
  • *
  • *
  • *
  • *

    • Synonyms

    * (period when food is rare) famine, shortage * (scarcity) paucity, scarcity

    Anagrams

    * * *

    paltry

    English

    Alternative forms

    * (l), (l), (l)

    Adjective

    (er)
  • trashy, trivial, of little value
    • This is indeed a paltry flyer about a silly product.
    She made some paltry excuse and left.
  • meager; worthless; pitiful; trifling
    • Could someone hope to survive on such a paltry income?
    Student grants these days are paltry , and many students have to take out loans.

    Usage notes

    * Nouns to which "paltry" is often applied: sum, rate, amount, number, price, salary, wages, fellow, pay, excuse, income, gain, compensation.

    Anagrams

    * *