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

• crunch
• dearth
• deficiency
• deficit
• drought
• drouth
• failure
• famine
• inadequacy
• inadequateness
• insufficiency
• lack
• lacuna
• paucity
• pinch
• poverty
• scantiness
• scarceness
• shortage
• undersupply
• want

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

Hotels are capping water usage to 100 liters per bed a day in response to the scarcity, while residents are trying to balance water consumption with sustaining their livelihood tied to agriculture. —Will Daniel, Fortune Europe, 10 July 2024

But their inventories aren’t always stocked, and scarcity makes the demand even stronger. —Alex Abad-Santos, Vox, 8 July 2024

Growing scarcity of food, water, energy and natural resources, pollution and climate change, unrest and military conflicts, growing poverty, migration and other problems are a result, in part, of population growth. —Washington Post, 5 July 2024

An acute scarcity of tobacco products has sent prices skyrocketing, leaving smokers in the shattered seaside territory jittery and bereft. —Nabih Bulos, Los Angeles Times, 2 July 2024

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