scarcity

noun

ˈsker-sə-tē How to pronounce scarcity (audio)
Definition of scarcitynext
as in shortage
a falling short of an essential or desirable amount or number the scarcity of good restaurants around here is surprising

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of scarcity That came out of, in part, speaking to so many people in our field and just in the city in general about what needs there are in the ecosystem, one of which is that space is a scarcity. — Maximilíano Durón, ARTnews.com, 2 Oct. 2026 Why scarcity matters in vintage fashion resale Scarcity is another big piece of the puzzle. — Ashley Lynch, Miami Herald, 2 Oct. 2026 For two years, Peters has been making the case in public that audit faces a crisis of scarcity. — Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 1 Oct. 2026 But today, companies are pushing the practice well beyond contexts of scarcity. — Lindsay Owens, Washington Post, 1 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for scarcity
Recent Examples of Synonyms for scarcity
  1. shortage
  2. lack
Noun
  • The proposals envision halting attacks on energy infrastructure, which have caused fuel shortages in Russia and power outages in Ukraine, and on Black Sea shipping needed to get vital grain exports to world markets.
    — HANNA ARHIROVA, Arkansas Online, 3 Oct. 2026
  • Additionally, container shortages have been reported at inland container depots across northern India.
    — Glenn Taylor, Footwear News, 2 Oct. 2026
Definition of shortage
Noun
  • Nearly all its arrangements hew to a standard radio-pop format, and in the record’s back half this lack of imagination becomes tiresome.
    — Enzo Escober, Pitchfork, 9 Oct. 2026
  • Wednesday’s filing marks the latest escalation in the legal fight over conditions at the facility and the government’s lack of compliance with the court’s directives.
    — Ruben Vives, Los Angeles Times, 8 Oct. 2026
Definition of lack

Browse Nearby Words

scarcities
scarcity
scare
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Cite this Entry

“Scarcity.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/scarcity. Accessed 9 Oct. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on scarcity

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about scarcity

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