adjective
Related Words
See scanty.
Other Word Forms
- sparsely adverb
- sparseness noun
- sparsity noun
- unsparse adjective
Etymology
Origin of sparse
First recorded in 1715–25; from Latin sparsus, past participle of spargere “to scatter,” sparge
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 post included an animated map of sparse maritime traffic traveling through the waterway.
From MarketWatch • Mar. 24, 2026
The movie’s real draw is its blissfully sinister sound design, which utilizes the podcaster lifestyle to go full maximalist while the film’s visual landscape remains sparse and disquieting.
From Salon • Mar. 15, 2026
Typical hedge trimming techniques, which use heavy machinery, can leave hedges sparse, creating unfavourable living environments for local animals like birds, hedgehogs and insects.
From BBC • Mar. 8, 2026
The firm’s fundraising materials provided sparse details on its chief executive, Paresh Raja, and offered financial information that diverged widely from its public financial reporting, according to documents reviewed by The Wall Street Journal.
From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 6, 2026
She worried about other things: how her periods were sparse and no longer red but a muddy brown, how Baby’s hair was falling out, how hunger was stealing the memories of the children.
From "Half of a Yellow Sun" by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
