scarcity

noun

scar·​ci·​ty ˈsker-sə-tē 

-stē

plural scarcities

: the quality or state of being scarce

especially : want of provisions for the support of life

Synonyms

• crunch
• dearth
• deficiency
• deficit
• drought
• drouth
• failure
• famine
• inadequacy
• inadequateness
• insufficiency
• lack
• lacuna
• paucity
• pinch
• poverty
• scantiness
• scarceness
• shortage
• undersupply
• want

Examples of scarcity in a Sentence

Scarcity of food forced the herds to move.

the scarcity of good restaurants around here is surprising

Recent Examples on the Web

Experts predict that as water scarcity becomes more prevalent, regulations around water use will only become more abundant. —Dan Lambe, Forbes, 6 Jan. 2025

There's a scarcity of work and of jobs in the journalism industry at large right now. —Eric Deggans, NPR, 4 Jan. 2025

Insufficient snowpack could exacerbate water scarcity, impacting drinking water availability, agriculture and hydropower generation. —Dan Perry, Newsweek, 3 Jan. 2025

More than a quarter of all hydroelectric dams are in places with a medium to extreme risk for water scarcity by 2050, according to a 2022 study in the journal Water. —José María León Cabrera, New York Times, 30 Dec. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

scarcity

noun

scar·​ci·​ty ˈsker-sət-ē 

ˈskar-

plural scarcities

: the quality or state of being scarce : a very small supply