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
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
More broadly, the NFL is eroding the scarcity that helped turn the sport into America’s dominant television property.
—
Bobby Burack Outkick, FOXNews.com, 14 May 2026
The harsh reality is that scarcity creates a structural bottleneck for both commerce and science.
—Thomas Andersen, Rolling Stone, 14 May 2026
Greg Thomas, chief executive of ChainSentry, a firm that conducts gray-market surveillance of semiconductor supply chains, said export controls have created an artificial scarcity that has made advanced chips almost irresistible to smugglers.
—Amanda Gerut, Fortune, 13 May 2026
The other is darkened by fuel scarcity and rising prices that threaten a humanitarian crisis.
—Stephanie Yang, CNN Money, 12 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for scarcity
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Bobby Burack Outkick, FOXNews.com, 14 May 2026
The harsh reality is that scarcity creates a structural bottleneck for both commerce and science.
—Thomas Andersen, Rolling Stone, 14 May 2026
Greg Thomas, chief executive of ChainSentry, a firm that conducts gray-market surveillance of semiconductor supply chains, said export controls have created an artificial scarcity that has made advanced chips almost irresistible to smugglers.
—Amanda Gerut, Fortune, 13 May 2026
The other is darkened by fuel scarcity and rising prices that threaten a humanitarian crisis.
—Stephanie Yang, CNN Money, 12 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for scarcity
Cite this Entry
“Scarcity.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/scarcity. Accessed 18 May. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
scarcity
noun
scar·ci·ty
ˈsker-sət-ē
ˈskar-
plural scarcities
: the quality or state of being scarce : a very small supply
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