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
With 74% of school districts reporting difficulty filling teaching positions for the 2024-25 school year, and science positions among the most likely to go unfilled, Monsour's observation about the scarcity of STEM teachers reflects a national crisis.
—
Talia Milgrom-Elcott, Forbes.com, 11 Sep. 2025
And inequality, corruption, and scarcity were rampant.
—Celeste A. Wallander, Foreign Affairs, 9 Sep. 2025
That scarcity made the work valuable.
—Chris Schembra, Rolling Stone, 8 Sep. 2025
In addition to the scarcity of Black performers, presenters included Ciara, Ice Spice, and Latto.
—Amber Corrine, VIBE.com, 8 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for scarcity
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Talia Milgrom-Elcott, Forbes.com, 11 Sep. 2025
And inequality, corruption, and scarcity were rampant.
—Celeste A. Wallander, Foreign Affairs, 9 Sep. 2025
That scarcity made the work valuable.
—Chris Schembra, Rolling Stone, 8 Sep. 2025
In addition to the scarcity of Black performers, presenters included Ciara, Ice Spice, and Latto.
—Amber Corrine, VIBE.com, 8 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for scarcity
Cite this Entry
“Scarcity.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/scarcity. Accessed 15 Sep. 2025.
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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