as in shortage
a falling short of an essential or desirable amount or number
the scarcity of good restaurants around here is surprising
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of scarcity
Levy blew up the old model, replacing a system of scarcity with one built on abundance.
—
Maxwell Adler, Vanity Fair, 31 Mar. 2026
The forward curve, once comfortably in contango, has flipped into backwardation, signaling acute near-term scarcity.
—Michael Khouw, CNBC, 30 Mar. 2026
Meanwhile, a JPMorgan analysis found the world is now moving from a problem centered on a shock to energy flows to one of stock depletion, which is likely to turn into supply scarcity for much of the world.
—Chloé Farand, semafor.com, 27 Mar. 2026
That includes the Colorado River Basin, which has long been mired in water scarcity.
—Alexandra Banner, CNN Money, 26 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for scarcity
Maxwell Adler, Vanity Fair, 31 Mar. 2026
The forward curve, once comfortably in contango, has flipped into backwardation, signaling acute near-term scarcity.
—Michael Khouw, CNBC, 30 Mar. 2026
Meanwhile, a JPMorgan analysis found the world is now moving from a problem centered on a shock to energy flows to one of stock depletion, which is likely to turn into supply scarcity for much of the world.
—Chloé Farand, semafor.com, 27 Mar. 2026
That includes the Colorado River Basin, which has long been mired in water scarcity.
—Alexandra Banner, CNN Money, 26 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for scarcity
Recent Examples of Synonyms for scarcity
Noun
-
The lack of pay has contributed to high call-out rates at airports across the country, including at Philadelphia International Airport, where staffing shortages have led to longer security lines.—
Eva Andersen,
CBS News,
30 Mar. 2026
-
The war has threatened global supplies of oil and natural gas, sparked fertilizer shortages and disrupted air travel.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
29 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
As recently as 2022, research group IDinsight found unintended pregnancy was, after a lack of money for school fees, the leading cause of girls not returning to education.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
2 Apr. 2026
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In Miami-Dade, the lack of oversight has been acute, the Herald found.—
Carol Marbin Miller,
Miami Herald,
2 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Scarcity.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/scarcity. Accessed 5 Apr. 2026.
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