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.
It has forced local officials to evacuate 1,200 people from 34 villages in the sparsely populated area.
From Barron's ● Jul. 22, 2026
These differences made sense given that the environment they live in has much smaller, more sparsely distributed prey than other leopard habitats.
From Science Daily ● Jun. 24, 2026
Highland Council said its region, which has large, sparsely populated areas, offered stargazers some of the darkest skies in Europe.
From BBC ● May 28, 2026
The western desert region of Iraq is vast and sparsely populated, making it an ideal location for temporary outposts, Knights said.
From The Wall Street Journal ● May 9, 2026
The arm was slim and sparsely haired, without wrinkles or kidney spots.
From "The City Beautiful" by Aden Polydoros
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.
