sparse

adjective

ˈspärs 

sparser; sparsest

: of few and scattered elements

especially : not thickly grown or settled

sparsely adverb

sparseness noun

sparsity

ˈspär-sə-tē 

-stē

noun

Synonyms of sparse

• scarce

Choose the Right Synonym for sparse

meager, scanty, scant, skimpy, spare, sparse mean falling short of what is normal, necessary, or desirable.

meager implies the absence of elements, qualities, or numbers necessary to a thing's richness, substance, or potency.

a meager portion of meat

scanty stresses insufficiency in amount, quantity, or extent.

supplies too scanty to last the winter

scant suggests a falling short of what is desired or desirable rather than of what is essential.

in January the daylight hours are scant

skimpy usually suggests niggardliness or penury as the cause of the deficiency.

tacky housing developments on skimpy lots

spare may suggest a slight falling short of adequacy or merely an absence of superfluity.

a spare, concise style of writing

sparse implies a thin scattering of units.

a sparse population

Examples of sparse in a Sentence

open land is sparse around here

Recent Examples on the Web

Delivering cargo across a sparse post-apocalyptic landscape, often on foot, was an unlikely premise for a blockbuster video game. —Will Ripley, CNN Money, 12 Dec. 2025

The sleeping quarters are more sparse, serene spaces to recuperate after long days traversing the nearby mountains. —Tori Latham, Robb Report, 11 Dec. 2025

The network provides access to the internet to areas around the world whether there was no or sparse coverage, as well as enables wifi access on commercial airliners and cell-to-satellite service on select providers. —Robert Z. Pearlman, Space.com, 10 Dec. 2025

But as lashes become shorter, thinner, and more sparse over time, the best mascara for older women steps in to lift the hairs and the spirits. —Jenny Berg, Vogue, 10 Dec. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Latin sparsus spread out, from past participle of spargere to scatter — more at spark

First Known Use

1753, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for sparse

• arse
• carse
• farce
• marse
• parse

Kids Definition

sparse

adjective

ˈspärs 

sparser; sparsest

: of few and scattered elements

especially : not thickly grown or settled

sparsely adverb

sparseness noun

sparsity

ˈspär-sət-ē 

noun