sparse

adjective

ˈspärs 

sparser; sparsest

: of few and scattered elements

especially : not thickly grown or settled

sparsely adverb

sparseness noun

sparsity

ˈspär-sə-tē 

-stē

noun

Synonyms

• exiguous
• hand-to-mouth
• light
• meager
• meagre
• niggardly
• poor
• scant
• scanty
• scarce
• skimp
• skimpy
• slender
• slim
• spare
• sparing
• stingy

Choose the Right Synonym for sparse

meager, scanty, scant, skimpy, spare, sparse mean falling short of what is normal, necessary, or desirable.

meager implies the absence of elements, qualities, or numbers necessary to a thing's richness, substance, or potency.

a meager portion of meat

scanty stresses insufficiency in amount, quantity, or extent.

supplies too scanty to last the winter

scant suggests a falling short of what is desired or desirable rather than of what is essential.

in January the daylight hours are scant

skimpy usually suggests niggardliness or penury as the cause of the deficiency.

tacky housing developments on skimpy lots

spare may suggest a slight falling short of adequacy or merely an absence of superfluity.

a spare, concise style of writing

sparse implies a thin scattering of units.

a sparse population

Examples of sparse in a Sentence

open land is sparse around here

Recent Examples on the Web

Officials, including Zeller, communications manager Will Gregory and several members of the construction crew, were sparse on details. —Natalie Wallington, Kansas City Star, 18 Apr. 2024

Appeals are typically over the summer, when school staffing is sparse. —The Enquirer, 16 Apr. 2024

Make sure your tank is full before starting your journey, especially since gas stations may be sparse in mountainous areas. —Laura Daniella Sepulveda, The Arizona Republic, 16 Apr. 2024

The furnishings are sparse, and the big lipstick-red cylinders that anchor the accessory displays feel quasi Memphis-inspired. —Laia Garcia-Furtado, Vogue, 11 Apr. 2024

As for Liu’s larger house next door, photos are scant and details remain sparse. —James McClain, Robb Report, 9 Apr. 2024

While research on sociopathy may still be sparse, there is no shortage of resources detailing the harmful effects of shame and guilt. —Patric Gagne, TIME, 2 Apr. 2024

Little illustrated that discord better than the sparse attendance at the retreat: Fewer than 100 of the House’s 219 Republican members trekked out to the historic, luxury Greenbrier resort in West Virginia. —Ken Tran, USA TODAY, 15 Mar. 2024

The album has the trademark blue-collar vibe of many other Springsteen albums, but this was also full of bleak and hopeless themes, accompanied by a sparse instruments. —Borys Kit, The Hollywood Reporter, 8 Apr. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Latin sparsus spread out, from past participle of spargere to scatter — more at spark

First Known Use

1753, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

sparse

adjective

ˈspärs 

sparser; sparsest

: of few and scattered elements

especially : not thickly grown or settled

sparsely adverb

sparseness noun

sparsity

ˈspär-sət-ē 

noun