sparse

1 of 2

adjective

ˈspärs 

sparser; sparsest

: of few and scattered elements

especially : not thickly grown or settled

sparsely adverb

sparseness noun

sparsity

ˈspär-sə-tē 

-stē

noun

sparsity

2 of 2

noun

spar·​si·​ty

variants or less commonly sparcity

ˈspärsətē, 

-pȧs-, 

-ətē, 

-i

plural -es

: the state of being sparse : scantiness

sparsity of vegetation

Synonyms of sparse

Adjective

• scarce

Choose the Right Synonym for sparse

meager, scanty, scant, skimpy, spare, sparse mean falling short of what is normal, necessary, or desirable.

meager implies the absence of elements, qualities, or numbers necessary to a thing's richness, substance, or potency.

a meager portion of meat

scanty stresses insufficiency in amount, quantity, or extent.

supplies too scanty to last the winter

scant suggests a falling short of what is desired or desirable rather than of what is essential.

in January the daylight hours are scant

skimpy usually suggests niggardliness or penury as the cause of the deficiency.

tacky housing developments on skimpy lots

spare may suggest a slight falling short of adequacy or merely an absence of superfluity.

a spare, concise style of writing

sparse implies a thin scattering of units.

a sparse population

Examples of sparse in a Sentence

Adjective

open land is sparse around here

Recent Examples on the Web

Adjective

The close-to-the-crown plaits create a sleek, polished finish while helping camouflage sparse areas by minimizing visible spacing between each braid. —Omenaa Boakye, InStyle, 15 June 2026

Yet for an industry of that size, the coverage devoted to it is sparse and uneven. —Ethan Stone, Miami Herald, 15 June 2026

The bedrooms themselves are spacious and sparse, very early American meets recent renovation. —Clio Chang, Curbed, 14 June 2026

As is Takal, clearly having fun with the film’s queasy, lurching atmospherics, abetted by the sparse, shivery, atonal chimes of Jonathan Goldsmith’s score, and the floating, disembodied feel of Robert Leitzell’s camerawork. —Guy Lodge, Variety, 13 June 2026

Word History

Etymology

Adjective

Latin sparsus spread out, from past participle of spargere to scatter — more at spark

First Known Use

Adjective

1753, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for sparse

• arse
• carse
• farce
• marse
• parse

Kids Definition

sparse

adjective

ˈspärs 

sparser; sparsest

: of few and scattered elements

especially : not thickly grown or settled

sparsely adverb

sparseness noun

sparsity

ˈspär-sət-ē 

noun