as in sparse
less plentiful than what is normal, necessary, or desirable
the camera's scanty instructions left me somewhat confused
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Recent Examples of scanty
Japanese edible chrysanthemum: Data is scanty on other species that are also commonly called daisies, but one with daisylike flowers is definitely edible: Japanese edible chrysanthemum, a.k.a., shungiku or tong ho.
—
Pam Peirce, SFChronicle.com, 7 Feb. 2020
In the sunshine outside a large convention center in the southern Spanish city of Estepona, some very fit-looking people in scanty clothing applied fake tans and rehearsed statuesque poses.
—Washington Post, 16 Nov. 2019
Falling production This year has been the first in nearly a century when India’s overall monsoon rainfall has exceeded its average levels despite a scanty start to the season in June.
—Kuwar Singh, Quartz India, 3 Oct. 2019
The Associated Press has not verified who caused the woman’s injury, and photographic evidence has been scanty.
—Washington Post, 13 Aug. 2019
See All Example Sentences for scanty
Pam Peirce, SFChronicle.com, 7 Feb. 2020
In the sunshine outside a large convention center in the southern Spanish city of Estepona, some very fit-looking people in scanty clothing applied fake tans and rehearsed statuesque poses.
—Washington Post, 16 Nov. 2019
Falling production This year has been the first in nearly a century when India’s overall monsoon rainfall has exceeded its average levels despite a scanty start to the season in June.
—Kuwar Singh, Quartz India, 3 Oct. 2019
The Associated Press has not verified who caused the woman’s injury, and photographic evidence has been scanty.
—Washington Post, 13 Aug. 2019
See All Example Sentences for scanty
Recent Examples of Synonyms for scanty
Adjective
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In her prominent book Atlas of AI, renowned Microsoft researcher and academic Kate Crawford documents the vast extractive needs of AI but notes that detailed analysis of materials that will be needed has been sparse.—
Saleem H. Ali,
Forbes.com,
21 July 2025
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Regulations in Hong Kong around the technology are currently sparse.—
Mithil Aggarwal,
NBC news,
17 July 2025
Adjective
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While specific details of his early childhood are scarce, Weller came of age during a time when distilling was a booming regional industry, often run by farmers and small-business operators who combined their agricultural production with whiskey making.—
Joseph V Micallef,
Forbes.com,
26 July 2025
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Details after paramedics whisked Valdes away are scarce, her friend says, as no one was allowed to ride with her to Jackson Memorial Hospital’s Ryder Trauma Center, where she was later pronounced dead.—
Isabel Rivera,
Miami Herald,
24 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Scanty.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/scanty. Accessed 30 Jul. 2025.
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