Synonyms

sparsely

American

[spahrs-lee] / ˈspɑrs li /

adverb

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

unsparsely adverb

Etymology

Origin of sparsely

sparse ( def. ) + -ly

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.

It is one of dozens of now desolate or sparsely used EV parts plants across the country.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 1, 2026

In the sparsely populated Kuiper Belt, these distant bodies drift with relatively few collisions, allowing fragile structures to survive.

From Science Daily • Feb. 23, 2026

In turn, that has helped create and sustain service-sector businesses and jobs too, especially to a previously sparsely populated city centre.

From BBC • Feb. 14, 2026

"This will not break us," Rowe told AFP in his sparsely furnished church office.

From Barron's • Feb. 12, 2026

Here, the tables and benches were more widely spaced and sparsely populated.

From "The Name of the Wind" by Patrick Rothfuss

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023