Synonyms of scarcity

scarcity

noun

ˈsker-sə-tē 

as in shortage

a falling short of an essential or desirable amount or number

the scarcity of good restaurants around here is surprising

Synonyms & Similar Words

• shortage
• lack
• deficiency
• paucity
• deficit
• drought
• famine
• poverty
• inadequacy
• absence
• dearth
• insufficiency
• undersupply
• scarceness
• crunch
• scantiness
• lacuna
• inadequateness
• failure
• pinch
• omission
• necessity
• want
• privation
• meagerness
• skimpiness
• need
• poorness

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• abundance
• wealth
• sufficiency
• adequacy
• plenty
• amplitude
• opulence
• plenitude
• surplus
• excess
• overabundance
• oversupply
• surfeit
• copiousness
• bountifulness

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of scarcity

The Rich Township band, however, made up for a scarcity of floats. — Jerry Shnay, Chicago Tribune, 7 Sep. 2026

Dan Ives, partner and senior managing director at Yorkville Ives, said the price reflects the scarcity of an asset like Hugging Face. — Sheryl Estrada, Fortune, 4 Sep. 2026

As a result, the Bay Area is less likely than some other regions to face acute water scarcity from data center development. — Grace Hase, Mercury News, 2 Sep. 2026

In addition to marking a moment in history, the bear was highly sought after due to its scarcity, as the first shipments were reportedly limited to just 12 per licensed retailer. — Nicole Briese, PEOPLE, 31 Aug. 2026