Find Synonyms

scarce Synonyms

Another word for scarce

Choosing another word for scarce depends on context, so the 17 synonyms and similar words below are separated across 3 exact definitions and ranked by match strength.
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• adjective (Context 1)

Insufficient in quantity or availability to satisfy demand or need (especially of food, money, or natural resources).

Usage Example

"Fresh water becomes increasingly scant in the region during the long summer drought."

Strongest
scant
sparse
Strong
meager
scanty
insufficient
deficient
inadequate
short

• adjective (Context 2)

Rarely found, seen, or encountered; uncommon.

Usage Example

"Reliable historical records from that particular century are remarkably rare."

Strongest
rare
uncommon
Strong
infrequent
hard-to-find
unusual

• adverb (Context 3)

Hardly, barely, or only just (used primarily in literary or archaic contexts).

Usage Example

"They had scarcely begun their journey up the mountain when the heavy fog rolled in."

Strongest
scarcely
barely
hardly
Strong
narrowly

Opposites of scarce

The opposite of scarce shifts depending on context. Common opposites include:

abundant
plentiful
common
frequent
ample
copious
ubiquitous
fully
See all opposites of scarce

• Nearby Words

scar
scarab
scaramouche
scarce
scarcely
scarceness
scarcity

Cite this Entry

Wordmom. (2026). Synonyms for Scarce. In Wordmom Thesaurus. Retrieved Nov 5, 2026, from https://wordmom.com/synonyms/scarce
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