The study identifies and assesses the frequency, intensity, and severity of vegetation compound droughts (VCDs) in mid- and low-latitude regions, particularly in drylands. VCDs are defined as periods when low soil moisture (SM) and high vapor pressure deficit (VPD) simultaneously limit and negatively impact vegetation carbon uptake. The impact-based approach, which considers the non-monotonic response of gross primary productivity (GPP) to SM and VPD, reveals that VCDs are more frequent and severe than previously estimated using a quantile-based approach. This approach underestimates the frequency and intensity of VCDs, leading to an underestimation of their adverse impacts on GPP. The study finds that VCDs cause significant reductions in GPP, with a total GPP anomaly of -1.44 PgC yr−1 in CMIP6 simulations and -0.31 PgC yr−1 in observations. The frequency and intensity of VCDs are projected to increase further under both low and high emission scenarios, particularly in dryland ecosystems. These findings highlight the need for adaptive measures to mitigate the adverse impacts of VCDs on terrestrial carbon sinks and agricultural production.The study identifies and assesses the frequency, intensity, and severity of vegetation compound droughts (VCDs) in mid- and low-latitude regions, particularly in drylands. VCDs are defined as periods when low soil moisture (SM) and high vapor pressure deficit (VPD) simultaneously limit and negatively impact vegetation carbon uptake. The impact-based approach, which considers the non-monotonic response of gross primary productivity (GPP) to SM and VPD, reveals that VCDs are more frequent and severe than previously estimated using a quantile-based approach. This approach underestimates the frequency and intensity of VCDs, leading to an underestimation of their adverse impacts on GPP. The study finds that VCDs cause significant reductions in GPP, with a total GPP anomaly of -1.44 PgC yr−1 in CMIP6 simulations and -0.31 PgC yr−1 in observations. The frequency and intensity of VCDs are projected to increase further under both low and high emission scenarios, particularly in dryland ecosystems. These findings highlight the need for adaptive measures to mitigate the adverse impacts of VCDs on terrestrial carbon sinks and agricultural production.