adjective
Synonym Usage
See scanty.
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of sparse
First recorded in 1715–25; from Latin sparsus, past participle of spargere “to scatter,” see sparge
Explanation
Something that’s sparse is thin, not dense. If you’re looking for the perfect place to build a tree house, a sparse forest is probably not your best bet. From the Latin sparsus, meaning “scattered,” we get the adjective sparse, which means “few and scattered.” Thinning hair is sparse, as is the population of an endangered species. Or a small and scattered crowd for an unpopular band. Synonyms include dispersed, infrequent, and scanty. Antonyms, on the other hand, include full, lush, and plentiful.
Vocabulary lists containing sparse
List 1
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Where the Red Fern Grows
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Beowulf: A New Telling
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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.
Sparse yet gripping, “Backrooms” and its minimalist story accommodate the audience’s own free-ranging imagination.
From Los Angeles Times • May 28, 2026
Sparse polling has suggested a tight and unpredictable contest.
From New York Times • May 16, 2023
Sparse neighbourhoods along the rural roads of the San Joaquin Valley can be traced back to temporary housing tracts built for migrant workers in the 1930s.
From Scientific American • May 13, 2021
Sparse synths and field recordings orbit Icasiano’s intricate rhythmic repetitions that slowly morph in mysterious ways.
From Seattle Times • Dec. 26, 2020
Sparse strands of ginger hair gripped the irate customer’s balding head like a claw.
From "Book Scavenger" by Jennifer Chambliss Bertman
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.
