Meaning & use
rationing
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Meanings
noununcountable
A system in which a government or authority limits how much of a scarce product each person may buy or use.
Grammar: Uncountable: you say 'rationing was introduced', not 'a rationing was introduced'.
Patterns
- rationing of something
- introduce rationing
- wartime rationing
During the war, rationing of meat and sugar forced families to plan every meal carefully.
The government introduced rationing when fuel supplies fell dangerously low.
Many older people still remember the years of rationing after the conflict ended.
noununcountablefigurative
The act of limiting your own or others' use of something, often in a deliberate or controlled way.
Grammar: Often used figuratively for personal habits, not just official systems.
Patterns
- rationing of something
- self-rationing
Her strict rationing of screen time helped her finish the project on schedule.
Water rationing in the dry season is a fact of life in many regions.
Common combinations
- food rationing
- Food rationing ended only after the harvest improved.
- fuel rationing
- Fuel rationing was announced as the strike continued.
- water rationing
- Water rationing is common during long droughts.
- introduce rationing
- The city had to introduce rationing to avoid running out.
- lift rationing
- The government decided to lift rationing once supplies returned to normal.
Synonyms and how they differ
- allocation
- Allocation is a more neutral word for giving out shares, without the idea of official limits during a shortage.
- restriction
- Restriction is broader; it can mean any rule that limits something, while rationing specifically limits amounts of goods.
Opposites
Word family
Commonly confused: rationing or rationalizing?
rationing vs rationalizing
Rationalizing means finding logical reasons for something; rationing means limiting amounts of goods.
Practice
During the drought, the city began ___ water to residents.
Choose one answer.
After 'began' we need a gerund (-ing form) that works as a noun here: 'began rationing water'. 'Ration' is a base verb and would need 'to' (began to ration), 'rational' is an adjective, and 'rationally' is an adverb.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “rationing”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.