as in shortage
a falling short of an essential or desirable amount or number
the scarcity of good restaurants around here is surprising
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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 scarcity
Debut Patch autographed card is difficult since a person is selling hype as much as the scarcity of the card.
—
Larry Holder, The Athletic, 25 Feb. 2025
Former child star Quan first rose to popularity with his roles in Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom and Goonies before stepping away from acting in his early 20s to attend film school due to the scarcity of substantial roles.
—Sydney Bucksbaum, EW.com, 24 Feb. 2025
Moving quickly is important, bill sponsors said, because the issue of water scarcity is urgent, especially as the state’s population grows.
—Elise Schmelzer, The Denver Post, 21 Feb. 2025
Though his parents were highly regarded in the community, Wood’s childhood was sometimes shaped by a sense of scarcity and limitation.
—Ismail Muhammad, New York Times, 20 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for scarcity
Larry Holder, The Athletic, 25 Feb. 2025
Former child star Quan first rose to popularity with his roles in Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom and Goonies before stepping away from acting in his early 20s to attend film school due to the scarcity of substantial roles.
—Sydney Bucksbaum, EW.com, 24 Feb. 2025
Moving quickly is important, bill sponsors said, because the issue of water scarcity is urgent, especially as the state’s population grows.
—Elise Schmelzer, The Denver Post, 21 Feb. 2025
Though his parents were highly regarded in the community, Wood’s childhood was sometimes shaped by a sense of scarcity and limitation.
—Ismail Muhammad, New York Times, 20 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for scarcity
Articles Related to scarcity
Cite this Entry
“Scarcity.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/scarcity. Accessed 12 Mar. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share