This study examines the current state and trends of agricultural drought (AD) research through a bibliometric analysis of 7,416 articles from the Web of Science (WoS) database, focusing on publications between 2020 and 2023. The analysis reveals a growing trend in AD research, with a recent acceleration. China leads in AD research with 1,833 publications, followed by the USA with 1,278. The top five journals for AD studies are *Sustainability*, *Frontiers in Plant Science*, *Agricultural Water Management*, *Water*, and *Agronomy-Basel*. Key research topics include climate change, yield, variability, impact, growth, and adaptation. The study identifies four research hotspots: drought stress, influencing factors of drought, agricultural impacts and adaptability, and the impact of drought on different crops. Future research directions include advanced technologies for drought monitoring, understanding drought formation mechanisms, studying the chain transmission process of droughts, and focusing on regions like Asia and Africa. The analysis provides a comprehensive guide for future AD research, fostering collaboration among researchers worldwide.This study examines the current state and trends of agricultural drought (AD) research through a bibliometric analysis of 7,416 articles from the Web of Science (WoS) database, focusing on publications between 2020 and 2023. The analysis reveals a growing trend in AD research, with a recent acceleration. China leads in AD research with 1,833 publications, followed by the USA with 1,278. The top five journals for AD studies are *Sustainability*, *Frontiers in Plant Science*, *Agricultural Water Management*, *Water*, and *Agronomy-Basel*. Key research topics include climate change, yield, variability, impact, growth, and adaptation. The study identifies four research hotspots: drought stress, influencing factors of drought, agricultural impacts and adaptability, and the impact of drought on different crops. Future research directions include advanced technologies for drought monitoring, understanding drought formation mechanisms, studying the chain transmission process of droughts, and focusing on regions like Asia and Africa. The analysis provides a comprehensive guide for future AD research, fostering collaboration among researchers worldwide.