as in shortage
a falling short of an essential or desirable amount or number
a paucity of useful answers to the problem of traffic congestion at rush hour
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Recent Examples of paucity
Two years ago, former Atlantans and veteran documentarians Ryan White and Jessica Hargrave felt like there was a paucity of funny documentaries.
—
Rodney Ho, AJC.com, 10 Mar. 2026
Environmental factors are believed to be at play — an abundance of near-work activities, screen time at early ages and a paucity of time spent outdoors.
—Brian Park, Mercury News, 24 Feb. 2026
One potential showstopper after another fell flat, every song undersold and suffering from a paucity of punch.
—Rob Hubbard, Twin Cities, 28 Jan. 2026
Given the paucity of high-level bats left on the market behind Tucker, the Mets may shift their priorities and emphasize upgrades to their pitching staff while seeking modest additions to the lineup.
—Tim Britton, New York Times, 16 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for paucity
Rodney Ho, AJC.com, 10 Mar. 2026
Environmental factors are believed to be at play — an abundance of near-work activities, screen time at early ages and a paucity of time spent outdoors.
—Brian Park, Mercury News, 24 Feb. 2026
One potential showstopper after another fell flat, every song undersold and suffering from a paucity of punch.
—Rob Hubbard, Twin Cities, 28 Jan. 2026
Given the paucity of high-level bats left on the market behind Tucker, the Mets may shift their priorities and emphasize upgrades to their pitching staff while seeking modest additions to the lineup.
—Tim Britton, New York Times, 16 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for paucity
Recent Examples of Synonyms for paucity
Noun
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That means there will be no shortage of motivation in these final weeks, and their key players should continue to play every minute despite their run to the semi-finals of the Europa League.—
Abdul Rehman,
New York Times,
27 Apr. 2026
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That’s just one example of what more than three decades of chronic school funding shortages under Colorado’s decades-old spending cap has led to.—
Kevin Vick,
Denver Post,
26 Apr. 2026
Noun
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Goldman Sachs estimated that Qatar could see its GDP plunge by 14%, citing its lack of alternative export channels to the blockaded Strait of Hormuz.—
Kelsey Warner,
semafor.com,
29 Apr. 2026
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This Fire sign is, after all, notorious for its lack of a filter… and the 24-year-old singer just so happens to have her sun, Venus and Pluto here.—
Valerie Mesa,
PEOPLE,
29 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Paucity.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/paucity. Accessed 1 May. 2026.
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