If something is scarce, there isn't much of it around. Crops are scarce after a long drought, or you might find babysitters scarce if your kids are a nightmare to watch.
Not plentiful or abundant; in small quantity in proportion to the demand; not easily to be procured; rare; uncommon.
Adjective
deficient in quantity or number compared with the demand; "fresh vegetables were scarce during the drought"
Adjective S.
not enough; hard to find; "meat was scarce during the war"
Adverb
by a small margin; "they could barely hear the speaker"; "we hardly knew them"; "just missed being hit"; "had scarcely rung the bell when the door flew open"; "would have scarce arrived before she would have found some excuse to leave"- W.B.Yeats
superl.
Not plentiful or abundant; in small quantity in
proportion to the demand; not easily to be procured; rare; uncommon.
superl.
Scantily supplied (with); deficient (in); -- with of.
superl.
Sparing; frugal; parsimonious; stingy.
adv.
Alt. of Scarcely
Scarce
You tell him silver is scarcer now in England, and therefore risen one fifth in value.
The scarcest of all is a Pescennius Niger on a medallion well preserved.2.
Not plentiful or abundant; in small quantity in proportion to the demand; not easily to be procured; rare; uncommon.
Usage Examples
If we do not change our negative habits toward climate change, we can count on worldwide disruptions in food production, resulting in mass migration, refugee crises and increased conflict over scarce natural resources like water and farm land. This is a recipe for major security problems.
Live life to the fullest, for the future is scarce.
Man hath still either toys or care: But hath no root, nor to one place is tied, but ever restless and irregular, about this earth doth run and ride. He knows he hath a home, but scarce knows where He says it is so far, that he has quite forgot how to go there.
Misspelled FormScarce, Scarce, carce, Scarce, Sxcarce, Sdcarce, Sfcarce, Svcarce, S carce, Sxarce, Sdarce, Sfarce, Svarce, S arce, Scxarce, Scdarce, Scfarce, Scvarce, Sc arce, Scqarce, Scwarce, Scsarce, Sczarce, Scqrce, Scwrce, Scsrce, Sczrce, Scaqrce, Scawrce, Scasrce, Scazrce, Scaerce, Sca4rce, Sca5rce, Scatrce, Scafrce, Scaece, Sca4ce, Sca5ce, Scatce, Scafce, Scarece, Scar4ce, Scar5ce, Scartce, Scarfce, Scarxce, Scardce, Scarfce, Scarvce, Scar ce, Scarxe, Scarde, Scarfe, Scarve, Scar e, Scarcxe, Scarcde, Scarcfe, Scarcve, Scarc e, Scarcwe, Scarc3e, Scarc4e, Scarcre, Scarcse, Scarcde, Scarcw, Scarc3, Scarc4, Scarcr, Scarcs, Scarcd, Scarcew, Scarce3, Scarce4, Scarcer, Scarces, Scarced.
Other Usage ExamplesThe tree which moves some to tears of joy is in the eyes of others only a green thing that stands in the way. Some see nature all ridicule and deformity... and some scarce see nature at all. But to the eyes of the man of imagination, nature is imagination itself.
The country remains dependent on oil. But as we are now learning, oil is becoming increasingly scarce.
As scarce as truth is, the supply has always been in excess of the demand.