as in shortage
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 scarcity
The scarcity of food was a challenge, but Gertrude befriended farmers on her cross-country walks.
—
Judith Thurman, New Yorker, 29 Sep. 2025
The combination of scarcity and eye appeal should help this remain a desirable card for years to come.
—Andrew MacKie, New York Times, 29 Sep. 2025
It’s well known that climate change, driven by burning fossil fuels, is throwing the global water cycle off balance and causing scarcity.
—Laura Paddison, CNN Money, 23 Sep. 2025
Devotees say the value comes from the scarcity, as bitcoin’s algorithm caps the supply at 21 million digital coins.
—Susan Tompor, USA Today, 22 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for scarcity
Judith Thurman, New Yorker, 29 Sep. 2025
The combination of scarcity and eye appeal should help this remain a desirable card for years to come.
—Andrew MacKie, New York Times, 29 Sep. 2025
It’s well known that climate change, driven by burning fossil fuels, is throwing the global water cycle off balance and causing scarcity.
—Laura Paddison, CNN Money, 23 Sep. 2025
Devotees say the value comes from the scarcity, as bitcoin’s algorithm caps the supply at 21 million digital coins.
—Susan Tompor, USA Today, 22 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for scarcity
Recent Examples of Synonyms for scarcity
Noun
-
The federal government officially began a partial shutdown with no last-minute drama or shortage of finger-pointing from Democrats and Republicans, each of whom was content to blame the other for the impasse.—
Lorenzino Estrada,
AZCentral.com,
1 Oct. 2025
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The outbreak was forcing a shortage of eggs as well, leading some grocers to restrict how many dozens of eggs consumers could buy per visit.—
Olivia Evans,
Louisville Courier Journal,
1 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
Youths frustrated at a social media ban, corruption and lack of economic opportunities coordinated mass protests via Discord that helped bring down the government.—
Mandy Taheri,
MSNBC Newsweek,
3 Oct. 2025
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If the shutdown drags on, the lack of government data could strain investors’ understanding of the health of the labor market and path of inflation at a time when stocks are historically expensive and vulnerable to a surprise.—
John Towfighi,
CNN Money,
3 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Scarcity.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/scarcity. Accessed 7 Oct. 2025.
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