sparser; sparsest
: of few and scattered elements
especially : not thickly grown or settled
sparsely adverb
sparseness noun
sparsity noun
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
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.
McKinstry was hitting below .200, playing time was sparse and the Tigers were bringing up young players from the minors. Cody Stavenhagen, New York Times, 30 Apr. 2025 In the nutrient-poor soils of subalpine elevations, where rainfall is often sparse, this species thrives by conserving energy. Scott Travers, Forbes.com, 27 Apr. 2025 According to The New York Times, early turnout was sparse, though not surprising given the tiny voter roll of 279 individuals. Thomas G. Moukawsher, MSNBC Newsweek, 24 Apr. 2025 The details about the start of their relationship are sparse, but about one year later, June gave birth to her and Mike’s only biological daughter, Alana, on Aug. 28, 2005. Mckinley Franklin, People.com, 22 Apr. 2025 See All Example Sentences for sparse

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

Time Traveler
The first known use of sparse was in 1753

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Sparse.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sparse. Accessed 4 May. 2025.

Kids Definition

sparse

adjective
sparser; sparsest
: of few and scattered elements
especially : not thickly grown or settled
sparsely adverb
sparseness noun
sparsity noun

More from Merriam-Webster on sparse

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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