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

Analysts at research firm Trivium and think tank ODI Global said the surge points to Beijing stockpiling to protect its economy against market vicissitudes, given the global scarcity of PGMs. — Alexis Akwagyiram, semafor.com, 21 Sep. 2026

Another will bar cities and counties from approving a new or expanded data center unless the developer submits a water assessment and a water scarcity plan, and will require developers to cover the cost of any water system upgrade that is necessary. — Ian James, Los Angeles Times, 21 Sep. 2026

What drew so many people to these concerts, as well as to recent stadium shows in London and Paris this fall, was a sense of nostalgia and a perception of scarcity. — Hua Hsu, New Yorker, 21 Sep. 2026

Blake Miller, a firefighter from Scottsdale who was deployed to wildfires in the Pacific Northwest over the summer, said his crews faced resource scarcities battling large Oregon infernos. — Emily Mae Czachor, CBS News, 21 Sep. 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