noun
-
inadequate supply; dearth; paucity
-
rarity or infrequent occurrence
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Etymology
Origin of scarcity
First recorded in 1300–50; Middle English scarsete(e), from Old North French escarsete; equivalent to scarce + -ity
Compare meaning
How does scarcity compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:
Explanation
If there is a cupcake scarcity in your kitchen, there are hardly any cupcakes around, and you're not sure that any will be appearing any time soon. The noun scarcity comes from the adjective scarce, which means "restricted in quantity or availability." So scarcity is the state of there being very little of something. During a war when shipping gets interrupted, there might be a fuel scarcity, pushing people to carpool or ride bikes instead of driving. If you're in a room full of super boring people, you might say there's a scarcity of good conversation.
Vocabulary lists containing scarcity
100 Words Every Middle Schooler Should Know
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Holes
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Vocabulary from the Introduction to "Reality is Broken" by Jane McGonigal
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
"A gauntlet of confusion, fake scarcity and impossibly high prices," according to NJ Attorney General Jennifer Davenport, chief prosecutor for the state hosting next month's final.
From BBC • Jun. 11, 2026
But those funds are about to lose “whatever scarcity value” they once had, one expert warns.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 9, 2026
That perceived scarcity is behind much of the demand for SpaceX shares, according to Mark Vena, CEO and analyst at the research firm SmartTech Research.
From MarketWatch • Jun. 5, 2026
In the revised IPO filing, SpaceX said “water scarcity, drought conditions, competition for local water resources, or regulatory restrictions on water use” might limit its data center plans or make them more expensive.
From Barron's • Jun. 5, 2026
He believed that the extreme scarcity of just about everything in Haiti, from food to clean water to clothes to shelter, created significant jealousies of anyone who had more than someone else.
From "Mountains Beyond Mountains" by Tracy Kidder and Michael French
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
