A dearth is best described as

• A. an abundance
• B. a temporary shortage
• C. a surplus
• D. a lack of something or an inadequate supply

Answer: (D)

A dearth means scarcity—a lack or insufficient supply of something. That makes the description “a lack of something or an inadequate supply” the best fit, because it directly captures the idea of not having enough. It isn’t about having plenty or an excess, which would be abundance or surplus. The idea of a temporary shortage isn’t as precise because a dearth conveys a general insufficiency rather than necessarily something short-lived, so the direct sense of lacking enough is the strongest match here.