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

To add to the problem, ordinary Cubans face malnutrition due to scarcity and high food prices. — Sarah Moreno july 1, Miami Herald, 1 July 2026

Driven by increasing concern over water scarcity and the potential for contamination, the city’s effort to protect its water has stretched for two years but has received scant attention around town. — Nick Bowlin, ProPublica, 30 June 2026

The meticulous production cycle for Birkin bags, however, has contributed to their scarcity, and some critics have complained that the purses have been more readily available to existing, ultra-wealthy customers of the brand. — Encyclopedia Britannica, 30 June 2026

The bottleneck is moving upstream For most of my career, enterprise technology transformation was constrained by the cost, scarcity, and complexity of software development. — Sanjay Srivastava, Forbes.com, 7 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