scarce

American  

[skairs] / skɛərs /

adjective

scarcer, scarcest

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.

idioms

1. make oneself scarce,

   1. to depart, especially suddenly.

   2. to stay away; avoid.

scarce British  

/ skɛəs /

adjective

1. rarely encountered

2. insufficient to meet the demand

3. informal to go away, esp suddenly

---

adverb

1. archaic scarcely

scarce More Idioms  

More idioms and phrases containing scarce

• make oneself scarce

---

Other Word Forms

• scarceness noun
• unscarce adjective
• unscarcely adverb
• unscarceness noun

Etymology

Origin of scarce

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

Example Sentences

In the Parque Central, Cubans asked for loose ibuprofen and imodium, as medicine grows scarce.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 3, 2026

With just 24 homes planned, the project underscores a broader shift toward smaller, more exclusive coastal communities where new inventory remains scarce.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 1, 2026

The region has become the fastest growing market for electric cars, and China is also the largest investor in desalination in the Middle East, where potable water is scarce.

From BBC • Apr. 1, 2026

But the overriding public interest here is getting scarce spectrum into the hands of companies that can put it to good use.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 30, 2026

Though there was little snow, the cold came early and stayed late, and fuel was scarce.

From "The Hiding Place" by Corrie ten Boom

Related Words

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