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

Highlight limited-time offers and scarcity to create a sense of urgency. —John Readman, Forbes, 4 Nov. 2024

Aircraft scarcity is also limiting airlines from adding many flights. —Leslie Josephs, CNBC, 3 Nov. 2024

Home sales are at a 14-year low, and the scarcity of listings is likely to nudge purchase prices higher. —Andrea Riquier, USA TODAY, 30 Oct. 2024

His fear that white Americans were being replaced by an army of invaders who must be repelled seemed to me symptoms of a reactive white supremacy, exacerbated by worries over scarcity brought on by the radically changing environment. —Abrahm Lustgarten, ProPublica, 19 Oct. 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