Definition

Noun 1. A controlled distribution system: The official, often government-imposed, restriction of the supply of a commodity, typically during a shortage, with each person allowed only a fixed amount. - During the war, the government imposed rationing of food and gasoline.

Usage

• Rationing is used as an uncountable noun to describe the system or practice itself.
• It is commonly associated with periods of scarcity, such as wars, economic crises, or natural disasters.
• It often collocates with verbs like , , , , and nouns like , , .

Examples

• Wartime rationing continued for several years after the conflict ended.
• The severe drought led to the rationing of water.
• Rationing was necessary to ensure fair distribution of medical supplies.

Advanced Usage

• To be on rationing: To be subject to a rationing system.
  • Butter and sugar were on rationing until 1954.
• Rationing by price: An economic concept where distribution is controlled by market prices rather than government coupons, often contrasted with formal rationing.

Variants and Related Words

• Ration (noun): A fixed allowance of a commodity officially allocated to each person.
  • Each person received a weekly ration of bread.
• Ration (verb): To allow each person to have only a fixed amount of something.
  • We had to ration our drinking water.
• Rationed (adjective): Distributed or available only through a rationing system.
  • Petrol was a rationed commodity.

Synonyms

• Allocation: The process or result of distributing resources.
• Apportionment: The action or result of sharing something out.
• Quota system: A system of limited quantities assigned to individuals or groups.

Antonyms

• Abundance: A very large quantity of something.
• Free market: An economic system with unrestricted buying and selling.
• Surplus: An amount of something left over when requirements have been met.

Related Phrases

• Ration book/card/coupon: The physical document granting the holder the right to purchase a rationed amount.
  • You needed a ration book to buy meat.
• Lift rationing: To officially end the rationing system.
  • The government lifted rationing on most goods.

Noun

1. the act of rationing
   • during the war the government imposed rationing of food and gasoline