Scarce
/skɛːs/
Definitions
Insufficient in quantity or number; rare.
/skɛːs/
Insufficient or in short supply
Rainfall was scarce last summer, causing a drought.
💡 Simply: Imagine you're at the candy store, and they only have a few of your favorite treats left. That means they're scarce! It means there's not a lot to go around.
👶 For kids: When something is scarce, it means there's not much of it around.
More Examples
Opportunities for advancement were scarce in the company.
Resources are scarce, so we need to be more efficient.
How It's Used
"Fresh water is becoming increasingly scarce in many regions."
"During the war, food was scarce, and people had to ration what they had."
Idioms & expressions
make oneself scarce
To leave or disappear quickly to avoid an unpleasant situation or person.
"When he saw the police arrive, he made himself scarce."
From Old French *escars*, from Vulgar Latin **scarus*, of uncertain origin, possibly related to a Germanic source.
The word 'scarce' has been used since the late 14th century to denote a lack or deficiency of something.
Memory tip
Think of a treasure chest with only a few gold coins – the treasure is scarce.
Word Origin
"of uncertain origin, possibly related to a Germanic source"