scarcity

noun

scar·​ci·​ty ˈsker-sə-tē 

-stē

plural scarcities

: the quality or state of being scarce

especially : want of provisions for the support of life

Synonyms of scarcity

• shortage
• lack

Examples of scarcity in a Sentence

Scarcity of food forced the herds to move.

the scarcity of good restaurants around here is surprising

Recent Examples on the Web

Limited releases use scarcity to drive demand and urgency, but not everyone buys the hype. — Roy Stephen Canivel, Footwear News, 14 July 2026

Semiconductor makers, now near an 18% weighting in the S & P 500, are taking in that money, exploiting shortages and rationing scarcity through soaring prices. — Michael Santoli, CNBC, 14 July 2026

And there’s that notion of the false scarcity model, like, there’s only so much interest for women, and there’s really only so much interest for Black women. — Chris Willman, Variety, 13 July 2026

Yet the men are wrenched apart, and the culprit seems to be nothing less than a hostile world, one marked by material scarcity and insurmountable alienation. — Katy Waldman, New Yorker, 13 July 2026

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

scarcity

noun

scar·​ci·​ty ˈsker-sət-ē 

ˈskar-

plural scarcities

: the quality or state of being scarce : a very small supply