as in shortages
a falling short of an essential or desirable amount or number
the scarcity of good restaurants around here is surprising
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Recent Examples of scarcities
Combine these two scarcities and watch how PooCravian information proliferates with no end in sight.
—
Fran Hoepfner, Vulture, 30 Apr. 2026
Meanwhile, the island’s population, almost all of which lives below the poverty line according to some estimates, continues to face essential scarcities, raising fears of a humanitarian crisis.
—Prashant Rao, semafor.com, 8 Apr. 2026
Still, the financial strain continued and, by the fall, dozens of staff and prisoners were telling ProPublica about unusual scarcities in facilities across the country.
—Keri Blakinger, ProPublica, 25 Feb. 2026
This is because climate change and ecological collapse are very likely to cause political fragmentation that nullifies legal and cultural precedents like abolition, and bring about agrarian and manufacturing crises and scarcities in which people are forced into labor.
—Literary Hub, 12 Dec. 2025
In addition to political persecution, returning Venezuelans would reenter a country teetering on collapse—maligned by hyperinflation, soaring unemployment, rampant crime, frequent power outages, water shortages and chronic scarcities of food and medicine.
—Antonio Maria Delgado, Miami Herald, 3 Sep. 2025
Fran Hoepfner, Vulture, 30 Apr. 2026
Meanwhile, the island’s population, almost all of which lives below the poverty line according to some estimates, continues to face essential scarcities, raising fears of a humanitarian crisis.
—Prashant Rao, semafor.com, 8 Apr. 2026
Still, the financial strain continued and, by the fall, dozens of staff and prisoners were telling ProPublica about unusual scarcities in facilities across the country.
—Keri Blakinger, ProPublica, 25 Feb. 2026
This is because climate change and ecological collapse are very likely to cause political fragmentation that nullifies legal and cultural precedents like abolition, and bring about agrarian and manufacturing crises and scarcities in which people are forced into labor.
—Literary Hub, 12 Dec. 2025
In addition to political persecution, returning Venezuelans would reenter a country teetering on collapse—maligned by hyperinflation, soaring unemployment, rampant crime, frequent power outages, water shortages and chronic scarcities of food and medicine.
—Antonio Maria Delgado, Miami Herald, 3 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for scarcities
Noun
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Travelers should brace for higher airfares this summer due to looming jet fuel shortages amid the war with Iran.—
Jessica Puckett,
Condé Nast Traveler,
4 May 2026
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Our economy is suffering too, with critical workforce shortages of teachers and nurses.—
Kaitlyn Schallhorn,
Oc Register,
4 May 2026
Noun
-
Ford’s freedom or constraints, his prejudices or lacks, gauge his moment and ours.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
30 Apr. 2026
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Dipping into 2027 draft capital to make a fifth-round selection in a draft that Schneider has repeatedly said lacks depth is a surprising move.—
Michael-Shawn Dugar,
New York Times,
25 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Scarcities.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/scarcities. Accessed 10 May. 2026.
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