as in shortage
a falling short of an essential or desirable amount or number
a paucity of useful answers to the problem of traffic congestion at rush hour
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Recent Examples of paucity
One potential showstopper after another fell flat, every song undersold and suffering from a paucity of punch.
—
Rob Hubbard, Twin Cities, 28 Jan. 2026
Given the paucity of high-level bats left on the market behind Tucker, the Mets may shift their priorities and emphasize upgrades to their pitching staff while seeking modest additions to the lineup.
—Tim Britton, New York Times, 16 Jan. 2026
Historically, the water’s purity was singular, giving life to a watershed that flourished because of a unique paucity of nutrients, a situation that hindered the pursuit of any single species that would dominate the rest.
—Amy Green, Miami Herald, 9 Jan. 2026
Both teams faced the same challenge in their quest to understand how cats came to sit on mats—namely, a paucity of archaeologic evidence through time.
—Meghan Bartels, Scientific American, 27 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for paucity
Rob Hubbard, Twin Cities, 28 Jan. 2026
Given the paucity of high-level bats left on the market behind Tucker, the Mets may shift their priorities and emphasize upgrades to their pitching staff while seeking modest additions to the lineup.
—Tim Britton, New York Times, 16 Jan. 2026
Historically, the water’s purity was singular, giving life to a watershed that flourished because of a unique paucity of nutrients, a situation that hindered the pursuit of any single species that would dominate the rest.
—Amy Green, Miami Herald, 9 Jan. 2026
Both teams faced the same challenge in their quest to understand how cats came to sit on mats—namely, a paucity of archaeologic evidence through time.
—Meghan Bartels, Scientific American, 27 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for paucity
Recent Examples of Synonyms for paucity
Noun
-
The lack of pay has contributed to high call-out rates at airports across the country, including at Philadelphia International Airport, where staffing shortages have led to longer security lines.—
Eva Andersen,
CBS News,
30 Mar. 2026
-
The war has threatened global supplies of oil and natural gas, sparked fertilizer shortages and disrupted air travel.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
29 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
As recently as 2022, research group IDinsight found unintended pregnancy was, after a lack of money for school fees, the leading cause of girls not returning to education.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
2 Apr. 2026
-
In Miami-Dade, the lack of oversight has been acute, the Herald found.—
Carol Marbin Miller,
Miami Herald,
2 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Paucity.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/paucity. Accessed 2 Apr. 2026.
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