Drought stress significantly impacts plant growth, development, and productivity, affecting biomass, quality, and energy production. It is a critical environmental stress caused by temperature dynamics, light intensity, and low rainfall. Plants have evolved various resistance and adaptation mechanisms, including physiological and biochemical responses, to cope with water scarcity. These mechanisms include growth pattern adjustments, reduced transpiration loss, leaf rolling, root-to-shoot ratio dynamics, root length increment, accumulation of compatible solutes, enhanced transpiration efficiency, osmotic and hormonal regulation, and delayed senescence. Approaches to alleviate drought stress include breeding strategies, molecular and genomic perspectives, and the use of omics technologies such as metabolomics, proteomics, genomics, transcriptomics, glyomics, and phenomics. Other methods include seed priming, growth hormones, osmoprotectants, silicon, selenium, and potassium application. Additionally, microbial interactions, hydrogel, nanoparticles, and metabolic engineering techniques help plants adapt to drought stress by regulating antioxidant enzymes and maintaining cell homeostasis. These strategies are crucial for improving plant tolerance and mitigating the adverse effects of drought stress in agriculture. The review highlights the importance of understanding drought stress mechanisms and developing effective strategies to enhance plant productivity under water-limited conditions.Drought stress significantly impacts plant growth, development, and productivity, affecting biomass, quality, and energy production. It is a critical environmental stress caused by temperature dynamics, light intensity, and low rainfall. Plants have evolved various resistance and adaptation mechanisms, including physiological and biochemical responses, to cope with water scarcity. These mechanisms include growth pattern adjustments, reduced transpiration loss, leaf rolling, root-to-shoot ratio dynamics, root length increment, accumulation of compatible solutes, enhanced transpiration efficiency, osmotic and hormonal regulation, and delayed senescence. Approaches to alleviate drought stress include breeding strategies, molecular and genomic perspectives, and the use of omics technologies such as metabolomics, proteomics, genomics, transcriptomics, glyomics, and phenomics. Other methods include seed priming, growth hormones, osmoprotectants, silicon, selenium, and potassium application. Additionally, microbial interactions, hydrogel, nanoparticles, and metabolic engineering techniques help plants adapt to drought stress by regulating antioxidant enzymes and maintaining cell homeostasis. These strategies are crucial for improving plant tolerance and mitigating the adverse effects of drought stress in agriculture. The review highlights the importance of understanding drought stress mechanisms and developing effective strategies to enhance plant productivity under water-limited conditions.