sparse

1 of 2

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

sparseness

2 of 2

noun

sparse·​ness

plural -es

: the quality or state of being sparse

Synonyms of sparse

Adjective

• 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

Adjective

open land is sparse around here

Recent Examples on the Web

Adjective

In the warm, nutrient-poor waters of the central Pacific where food is sparse, atolls are like bustling cafés. — NPR, 3 Aug. 2026

Details of the investigation remain sparse, and Belichick did little to clarify matters, appearing to sidestep questions about how Lombardi’s indefinite absence could affect the team. — Chantz Martin, FOXNews.com, 1 Aug. 2026

Chemical cues floating in the air in the natural environment are often sparse and unreliable. — Jacek Krywko, ArsTechnica, 1 Aug. 2026

The winter of 2011-12 was warm and produced little snowfall, and rainfall was sparse in the spring of 2012. — Kori Rumore, Chicago Tribune, 1 Aug. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Adjective

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

First Known Use

Adjective

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