scarce

//skɛəs//
B2Frequency Level 10Neutral
Visual representation of scarce

Adjective

scarceCanonical form
scarcerComparative
scarcestSuperlative
1

Insufficient to meet a demand or requirement; not plentiful or abundant.

Clean water is scarce in many parts of the world.

2

Occurring or found rarely; uncommon.

This species of bird is becoming increasingly scarce in the wild.

Synonym

raresparselimited

Antonym

abundantplentiful

Adverb

scarceCanonical form
scarcerComparative
scarcestSuperlative
1

Scarcely; barely; hardly.

I could scarce believe my eyes when I saw the news.