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
But the scarcity drove these young men together.
—
John Lingan, Rolling Stone, 8 Nov. 2025
In a landscape of fear and scarcity, where basic ingredients are nearly impossible to find, Lamia sets out on a determined journey throughout the big city in search of eggs, flour and sugar.
—Carole Horst, Variety, 7 Nov. 2025
That’s because rent freezes discourage housing construction, leading to scarcity, crumbling buildings and higher prices over time.
—Steven Greenhut, Oc Register, 7 Nov. 2025
In other words, our distant ancestors lived with food scarcity, always forced to forage or hunt.
—Bryant Stamford, Louisville Courier Journal, 6 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for scarcity
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
John Lingan, Rolling Stone, 8 Nov. 2025
In a landscape of fear and scarcity, where basic ingredients are nearly impossible to find, Lamia sets out on a determined journey throughout the big city in search of eggs, flour and sugar.
—Carole Horst, Variety, 7 Nov. 2025
That’s because rent freezes discourage housing construction, leading to scarcity, crumbling buildings and higher prices over time.
—Steven Greenhut, Oc Register, 7 Nov. 2025
In other words, our distant ancestors lived with food scarcity, always forced to forage or hunt.
—Bryant Stamford, Louisville Courier Journal, 6 Nov. 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 Nov. 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
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share