scarce
insufficient to satisfy the need or demand; not abundant: Meat and butter were scarce during the war.
seldom met with; rare: a scarce book.
Idioms about scarce
make oneself scarce, Informal.
to depart, especially suddenly.
to stay away; avoid.
Origin of scarce
1Other words for scarce
Opposites for scarce
Other words from scarce
- scarceness, noun
- un·scarce, adjective
- un·scarce·ly, adverb
- un·scarce·ness, noun
Words that may be confused with scarce
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024
How to use scarce in a sentence
The river was the only resource, and from the scarceness of hooks the supply of fish obtainable was rather scanty.
The Romantic Settlement of Lord Selkirk's Colonists | George BryceIt has been hinted that there was a reason for the scarceness of the plums in the plum-cake.
A Great Emergency and Other Tales | Juliana Horatia Gatty EwingScarceness is what there is the biggest stock 40 of in the country.
Scarceness o' victual 'ull keep; there's no need to be hasty wi' the cooking.
When the war broke out in 1793, the usual scarceness of seamen was met.
The Influence of Sea Power Upon History, 1660-1783 | A. T. Mahan
British Dictionary definitions for scarce
/ (skɛəs) /
rarely encountered
insufficient to meet the demand
make oneself scarce informal to go away, esp suddenly
archaic, or literary scarcely
Origin of scarce
1Derived forms of scarce
- scarceness, noun
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
Other Idioms and Phrases with scarce
In addition to the idiom beginning with scarce
- scarce as hen's teeth
- scarcely ever
also see:
- make oneself scarce
The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
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