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
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of scarcity
Establishing how that golden age came about is easier than explaining the years of scarcity that followed.
—
Rory Smith, The Athletic, 22 Mar. 2025
Madagascar as Ground Zero Climate change is to blame for the scarcity of food and resources in Madagascar, which is causing a mental health crisis among adolescents.
—Stephanie Edwards, Discover Magazine, 19 Mar. 2025
This speaks to a larger issue of the collective shift away from physical retail, the rising costs of overhead and commercial rent, and the scarcity of grants and funding available to independent entrepreneurs.
—Shelton Boyd-Griffith, Vogue, 28 Mar. 2025
The model originally spawned from scarcity is likely to be recovered as a consequence of abundance (or a scarcity of attention).
—Jim Euchner, Forbes.com, 26 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for scarcity
Rory Smith, The Athletic, 22 Mar. 2025
Madagascar as Ground Zero Climate change is to blame for the scarcity of food and resources in Madagascar, which is causing a mental health crisis among adolescents.
—Stephanie Edwards, Discover Magazine, 19 Mar. 2025
This speaks to a larger issue of the collective shift away from physical retail, the rising costs of overhead and commercial rent, and the scarcity of grants and funding available to independent entrepreneurs.
—Shelton Boyd-Griffith, Vogue, 28 Mar. 2025
The model originally spawned from scarcity is likely to be recovered as a consequence of abundance (or a scarcity of attention).
—Jim Euchner, Forbes.com, 26 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for scarcity
Cite this Entry
“Scarcity.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/scarcity. Accessed 22 Apr. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share