scant 1 of 2

scant

2 of 2

verb

as in to spare
to use or give out in stingy amounts don't scant the peanut butter on those sandwiches!

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

How does the adjective scant differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of scant are meager, scanty, skimpy, spare, and sparse. While all these words mean "falling short of what is normal, necessary, or desirable," scant suggests a falling short of what is desired or desirable rather than of what is essential.

in January the daylight hours are scant

When is meager a more appropriate choice than scant?

The meanings of meager and scant largely overlap; however, meager implies the absence of elements, qualities, or numbers necessary to a thing's richness, substance, or potency.

a meager portion of meat

When could scanty be used to replace scant?

The words scanty and scant are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, scanty stresses insufficiency in amount, quantity, or extent.

supplies too scanty to last the winter

When can skimpy be used instead of scant?

The synonyms skimpy and scant are sometimes interchangeable, but skimpy usually suggests niggardliness or penury as the cause of the deficiency.

tacky housing developments on skimpy lots

When might spare be a better fit than scant?

While in some cases nearly identical to scant, spare may suggest a slight falling short of adequacy or merely an absence of superfluity.

a spare, concise style of writing

When is it sensible to use sparse instead of scant?

The words sparse and scant can be used in similar contexts, but sparse implies a thin scattering of units.

a sparse population

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of scant
Adjective
Villa’s congested schedule and little time between matches meant opportunities to develop Torres and Mings into the same side were scant. Jacob Tanswell, New York Times, 14 May 2025 While many in the government participated in at least one of two separate schemes, for instance by helping the Contras or shipping arms, only a scant few knew of this connection. Time, 14 May 2025
Verb
There were few roads or trails or even paths to follow and scant potable water, but plenty of pit vipers and tarantulas. Ellen Ruppel Shell, Smithsonian Magazine, 1 Apr. 2022 In most cases, the Electoral College vote is a mere formality that carries no drama and garners scant public attention. Gilbert Garcia, ExpressNews.com, 18 Dec. 2020 See All Example Sentences for scant
Recent Examples of Synonyms for scant
Adjective
  • Juan Soto, meanwhile, went 0-for-4 with a walk and a strikeout and heard a smattering of boos from a sparse crowd after a seventh-inning groundout.
    Peter Sblendorio, Hartford Courant, 28 May 2025
  • Soto, meanwhile, received a smattering of boos from a sparse crowd, particularly after a seventh-inning groundout.
    Peter Sblendorio, New York Daily News, 28 May 2025
Verb
  • Net-Zero Emissions The final victory for advocates came with just a few hours to spare before Wednesday’s midnight deadline to pass legislation.
    John Moritz, Hartford Courant, 5 June 2025
  • The writer promised to spare any home playing jazz at 12:15 a.m.
    Christina Coulter, People.com, 4 June 2025
Adjective
  • That's key in a country where good-paying jobs are scarce.
    Omkar Khandekar, NPR, 8 June 2025
  • Yet with the old rail factory at Qadam station in disrepair, the know-how to forge, repair, and maintain Ottoman rail is scarce.
    Taylor Luck, Christian Science Monitor, 6 June 2025
Verb
  • Health officials also recommend conserving energy, using environmentally friendly household and cleaning products, and running a portable air purifier or a central air conditioning system with the fresh air intake closed or set on recirculate.
    Adriana Pérez, Chicago Tribune, 6 June 2025
  • Floating solar panels appear to conserve water while generating green electricity.
    Ashley Belanger, ArsTechnica, 4 June 2025
Verb
  • Wash linen sheets every one to two weeks using a gentle cycle and cool to lukewarm water to preserve the fibers and prevent shrinkage.
    Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 13 June 2025
  • The investment money is used to help create or preserve U.S. jobs.
    Swapna Venugopal Ramaswamy, USA Today, 13 June 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Scant.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/scant. Accessed 16 Jun. 2025.

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