Synonyms of scarce

scarce

adjective

ˈskers 

1

as in sparse

less plentiful than what is normal, necessary, or desirable

food was a bit scarce last winter

Synonyms & Similar Words

• sparse
• poor
• lacking
• scanty
• scant
• meagre
• insufficient
• meager
• lowest
• inadequate
• skimpy
• light
• spare
• small
• sparing
• short
• stingy
• slender
• minimal
• exiguous
• mere
• deficient
• niggardly
• thin on the ground
• slim
• skimp
• thin
• hand-to-mouth
• least
• wanting
• slightest
• littlest
• sterile
• bare
• bare-bones
• unfruitful
• unproductive
• barren
• slight
• infertile

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• abundant
• plentiful
• sufficient
• adequate
• ample
• enough
• generous
• copious
• satisfactory
• liberal
• bountiful
• rich
• tolerable
• fertile
• prolific
• fruitful
• plenteous
• fat
• lavish
• extra
• excess
• bursting
• fecund
• luxuriant
• surplus
• flourishing
• thriving
• proliferative
• teeming
• blooming
• swarming

2

as in lacking

not coming up to an expected measure or meeting a particular need

help is always scarce in the resort town during the busy summer season

Synonyms & Similar Words

• lacking
• insufficient
• low
• inadequate
• short
• deficient
• wanting
• sparse
• shy
• unacceptable
• scanty
• scant
• unsatisfactory
• meager
• meagre
• poor
• substandard
• skimpy
• spare
• small
• stingy
• slender
• lean
• light
• mere
• slim
• minimum
• bare
• skimp
• niggardly
• hand-to-mouth
• slight

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• adequate
• sufficient
• enough
• abundant
• plentiful
• ample
• copious
• generous
• bountiful
• liberal
• plenteous
• bounteous
• enlarged
• supplemented
• satisfactory
• expanded
• large
• tolerable
• rich
• overflowing
• considerable
• substantial
• plenitudinous
• lavish
• sizeable
• teeming
• big
• sizable
• super
• luxuriant
• abounding
• oversized
• hefty
• oversize
• jumbo
• largish
• king-size
• king-sized

Synonym Chooser

How is the word scarce distinct from other similar adjectives?

Some common synonyms of scarce are infrequent, rare, sporadic, and uncommon. While all these words mean "not common or abundant," scarce implies falling short of a standard or required abundance.

jobs were scarce during the Depression

When might infrequent be a better fit than scarce?

In some situations, the words infrequent and scarce are roughly equivalent. However, infrequent implies occurrence at wide intervals in space or time.

infrequent family visits

In what contexts can rare take the place of scarce?

The meanings of rare and scarce largely overlap; however, rare suggests extreme scarcity or infrequency and often implies consequent high value.

rare first editions

When is it sensible to use sporadic instead of scarce?

While the synonyms sporadic and scarce are close in meaning, sporadic implies occurrence in scattered instances or isolated outbursts.

sporadic cases of influenza

When would uncommon be a good substitute for scarce?

While in some cases nearly identical to scarce, uncommon suggests a frequency below normal expectation.

smallpox is now uncommon in many countries

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of scarce

Deets for what the episode is about are scarce, however. —Bethy Squires, Vulture, 28 Apr. 2025

Food and building supplies are scarce; prices are skyrocketing and a crisis is quietly building, residents say, as hunger and malnutrition spread and already overburdened government services, from healthcare to education, are stretched. —Jacqueline Charles, Miami Herald, 27 Apr. 2025

These innovations also carry immense implications for developing nations, where healthcare infrastructure might be limited and access to specialized treatment centers might be scarce. —Daniel Fusch, USA Today, 27 Apr. 2025

While details are scarce, it is seemingly confirmed that the latter will take the part of Nevermore’s new principle, Barry Dort. —Radhika Seth, Vogue, 23 Apr. 2025