scarce

1 of 2

adjective

scarcer; scarcest
Synonyms of scarcenext
1
: deficient in quantity or number compared with the demand : not plentiful or abundant
2
: intentionally absent
made himself scarce at inspection time
scarceness noun

scarce

2 of 2

adverb

: scarcely, hardly
Scarce was independence half a century old, when a … split occurred …John McPhee

Synonyms of scarce

Choose the Right Synonym for scarce

infrequent, uncommon, scarce, rare, sporadic mean not common or abundant.

infrequent implies occurrence at wide intervals in space or time.

infrequent family visits

uncommon suggests a frequency below normal expectation.

smallpox is now uncommon in many countries

scarce implies falling short of a standard or required abundance.

jobs were scarce during the Depression

rare suggests extreme scarcity or infrequency and often implies consequent high value.

rare first editions

sporadic implies occurrence in scattered instances or isolated outbursts.

sporadic cases of influenza

Examples of scarce in a Sentence

Adjective Food was getting scarce during the drought. food was a bit scarce last winter Adverb I could scarce believe what I was hearing.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Adjective
The guide allows voters to compare candidates side by side, particularly in contests in which information is often scarce, and build a personalized ballot based on their home address. From Staff Reports, Dallas Morning News, 3 Apr. 2026 At one point, he was said to maintain a low-profile loft-style condo in Birmingham, just outside Detroit, though details are predictably scarce. Abby Montanez, Robb Report, 3 Apr. 2026 Kuwait is one of the most water-scarce nations in the world. Molly Parks, The Washington Examiner, 3 Apr. 2026 Although details are still scarce, the project is not about plunking a new architectural icon down in Bloomsbury or competing with Norman Foster’s great glass dome. Justin Davidson, Curbed, 1 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for scarce

Word History

Etymology

Adjective

Middle English scars, from Anglo-French eschars, escars narrow, stingy, deficient, from Vulgar Latin *excarpsus, literally, plucked out, past participle of Latin excerpere to pluck out — more at excerpt

First Known Use

Adjective

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Adverb

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of scarce was in the 14th century

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Scarce.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/scarce. Accessed 5 Apr. 2026.

Kids Definition

scarce

adjective
ˈske(ə)rs
ˈska(ə)rs
scarcer; scarcest
: lacking in quantity or number : not plentiful
food is scarce
scarceness noun

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