as in shortage
a falling short of an essential or desirable amount or number
the scarcity of good restaurants around here is surprising
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Recent Examples of scarcity
Valuation is in part based on scarcity, with only 30 teams available, and also relative value to other franchises.
—
Phillip Molnar, San Diego Union-Tribune, 29 Apr. 2026
Farmers around the world are at a critical tipping point, facing mounting challenges such as soil degradation, water scarcity, and increasingly unpredictable weather.
—Angela Velasquez, Footwear News, 28 Apr. 2026
The scarcity and exceptionally high value of the Crash have cemented it as a must-have among A-listers and collectors, with everyone from Jay-Z and Tyler, the Creator to Tom Brady and Bad Bunny strapping it on.
—Rachel Cormack, Robb Report, 27 Apr. 2026
The systems are defined not just by their precision and range, but by their complexity, cost and scarcity, such as the Tomahawk cruise missile or Patriot missile system.
—James Laporta, CBS News, 24 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for scarcity
Phillip Molnar, San Diego Union-Tribune, 29 Apr. 2026
Farmers around the world are at a critical tipping point, facing mounting challenges such as soil degradation, water scarcity, and increasingly unpredictable weather.
—Angela Velasquez, Footwear News, 28 Apr. 2026
The scarcity and exceptionally high value of the Crash have cemented it as a must-have among A-listers and collectors, with everyone from Jay-Z and Tyler, the Creator to Tom Brady and Bad Bunny strapping it on.
—Rachel Cormack, Robb Report, 27 Apr. 2026
The systems are defined not just by their precision and range, but by their complexity, cost and scarcity, such as the Tomahawk cruise missile or Patriot missile system.
—James Laporta, CBS News, 24 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for scarcity
Recent Examples of Synonyms for scarcity
Noun
-
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
-
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
-
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
“Scarcity.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/scarcity. Accessed 1 May. 2026.
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