scarce

[ skairs ]

adjective

, scarc·er, scarc·est.

1. insufficient to satisfy the need or demand; not abundant:

   Meat and butter were scarce during the war.

   Synonyms: deficient

   Antonyms: abundant

2. seldom met with; rare:

   a scarce book.

   Synonyms: infrequent, uncommon

adverb

1. scarcely.

scarce

/ skɛəs /

adjective

1. rarely encountered
2. insufficient to meet the demand
3. make oneself scarce informal.
   make oneself scarce to go away, esp suddenly

adverb

1. archaic.
   scarcely

Derived Forms

• ˈscarceness, noun

Other Words From

• scarceness noun
• un·scarce adjective
• un·scarcely adverb
• un·scarceness noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of scarce¹

First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English scars, from Old North French (e)scars, from Vulgar Latin excarpsus (unrecorded) “plucked out,” from Latin excerptus; excerpt

Word History and Origins

Origin of scarce¹

C13: from Old Norman French scars, from Vulgar Latin excarpsus (unattested) plucked out, from Latin excerpere to select; see excerpt

Idioms and Phrases

Idioms

1. make oneself scarce, Informal.
   1. to depart, especially suddenly.
   2. to stay away; avoid.

More idioms and phrases containing scarce

In addition to the idiom beginning with scarce , also see make oneself scarce .

Example Sentences

The evidence is scarce, but since we don’t have more information, it’s better to be safe than sorry.

From Popular-Science

The last year was the clearest example yet of what can happen when we allow stable housing options to become scarce.

From Vox

Larger stones are more scarce, but a larger stone is not necessarily more valuable.

From Washington Post

With vaccinations off to a rocky start globally, experts had been counting on a one-dose vaccine that would stretch scarce supplies and avoid the logistics nightmare of getting people to return for boosters.

From Fortune

Food is scarce, and the rodents vigorously attack intruders from other colonies.

From Science News

Now, visitors are scarce and the jungle is taking over, leaving some locals nostalgic.

From The Daily Beast

We fight over their ownership and control, as if reality were a resource as scarce as the water and oil in Mad Max.

From The Daily Beast

In a country where food was already scarce, slimmed-down portions could be the difference between life and death.

From The Daily Beast

After two decades of war, even the most basic infrastructure is scarce.

From The Daily Beast

Food is becoming scarce, which has led to prices increasing beyond the reach of ordinary people.

From The Daily Beast

And the girl, scarce believing her good fortune, departed with a speed that bordered on the ludicrous.

From Project Gutenberg

Fruit-trees are clearly too scarce, though Cherries in abundance were offered for sale as we passed.

From Project Gutenberg

Scarce a day passed without some engagement in which the King of Naples showed his audacity and his talent as a leader.

From Project Gutenberg

When very scarce, they may sometimes be found, although their structure is not well shown, by the method of Ruge.

From Project Gutenberg

But the way was toilsome, the heat intense, and the water scarce—more so than it had been on the outward journey.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• deficient
• limited
• rare
• scant
• scanty
• sparse
• sporadic