sparsely
Americanadverb
-
in a thinly distributed way; not thickly or densely.
Michigan’s Upper Peninsula is very sparsely populated, as more than 90% of it is forested.
-
in a scanty or meager way.
It was a large kitchen, but very sparsely equipped for cooking.
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of sparsely
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
The road passes through a sparsely populated area of farms, forests and lochs.
From BBC ● Oct. 8, 2026
The federal government owns about 28% of the nation’s land, much of it in the sparsely populated West.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 6, 2026
Overnight, the core of the Category 2 storm passed within just 40 miles and 60 miles, respectively, of the archipelago's two westernmost islands -- sparsely populated Niihau and Kauai, home to some 70,000 people.
From Barron's ● Sep. 8, 2026
Hilton leads in the state’s more sparsely populated and conservative-leaning areas, including the Central Valley and North Coast/Sierra region.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 13, 2026
I push him down the hallway and through one of the doors to a sparsely furnished room near the dormitory.
From "Allegiant" by Veronica Roth
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