Want expensive article reduced (6)
I believe the answer is:
dearth
'want' is the definition.
(both can mean a lack or scarcity)
'expensive article reduced' is the wordplay.
'expensive' becomes 'dear' (similar in meaning).
'article' becomes 'the' (the definite article).
'reduced' means to remove the last letter.
'the' with its last letter removed is 'th'.
'dear'+'th'='DEARTH'
(Other definitions for dearth that I've seen before include "From shortage of food" , "poverty" , "Scarcity - famine" , "deficiency" , "Insufficient amount" .)