They are scant of money.
Source: tatoeba (306390)
Scant
/skænt/
Synonyms for "scant" (246 found)
Ranked by relevance and common usage.
Closest matches (50)
Determiner(2 words)
a small numberfew
abstemiousangustifoliateangustirostrateangustisellateangustiseptalarrestedasceticausterebankrupt inbarebare ofbegrudgebereft ofboundcallowcheeseparingchinchychintzycircumscribedclose
Show 26 more words
close-fittingconditionconfineconfinedconstrictedcontaincopyrightcrampcrampedcrowdeddefalcationdefectivedeficientdenuded ofdeprived ofdestitute ofdevoid ofdisciplinedraw the linedwarfeddwarfishembryonicempty ofexiguousfailingfamish
Strong matches (73)
Noun(5 words)
few cluesfew resourcesgerman dünnlow concentrationminute amount
Determiner(2 words)
few instancesfew people
for want offorlorn offrugalgrudgehedgehedge abouthypoplasticimmatureimpoverishedin arrearin arrearsin defaultin default ofin short supplyin want ofinadequateincapaciousincommodiousincompleteinfant
Adjective(18 words)
fractionalinadequateinsufficientlightlimited consultationlimited infrastructurelittlelittle earthlinglow yieldmaigremanymeagermeager evidencemeasliestmeaslymingyminimal legislationminuscule script
Related words (123)
niggardlyout ofout of pocketpaltryparsimoniouspartpartialpatchypatentpaucitypiddlingpinchpinch penniespoorpovertypremiumpunyqualifyrarerarefied
Show 63 more words
registerrestrainrestrictrestrictedsave-allscampscant ofscantyscarcescarcenessscarcityscatteredscrappyscrawnyscrewscrimpscrimpingscrimpyseldom met withseldom seenshortshort ofshyshy ofsketchyskimpskimpingskimpyslenderslightslimsmallsparesparingsparsespartanspecializespottysprinkledstarvationstarvestingystintstintedstraitstraitenstraitenedstuntedsubsistencethintighttightfistedunblessed withunderdevelopedundevelopedunnourishingunnutritiousunpossessed ofvoicelessvoid ofwantingwateredwatery
Adjective(28 words)
paltrierpaltriestrare creaturescantestscantierscarcescarcerscrimpshortshort explanationskimpskimpierskimpiestslightestslimmestsmall quantitysmallestsparsesparse indicatorssparse matrix
Show 8 more words
Adjective(1 words)
Choosing the right synonym
- Closest matches in this entry: a small number, abstemious, aliquant, angustifoliate, angustirostrate.
- Sentence evidence is available for scant, so synonym choice can be checked against real usage rather than a flat word list.
- Ranking signals come from derived_reverse, moby, opengloss, wordnet, and related lexical sources.
Synonym selection checklist
- Match the part of speech before comparing meanings.
- Check whether the synonym changes intensity, formality, or emotional tone.
- Read the replacement inside the full sentence, not just beside "scant".
- Prefer the clearest word over the most unusual word when writing for speed or comprehension.
When not to replace "scant"
Keep "scant" when the sentence already sounds natural, when a synonym would add unintended emphasis, or when readers need the most familiar wording. A synonym should clarify or sharpen the message, not simply make the sentence look more varied.
If two options seem close, choose the one that best matches the audience and purpose of the sentence.
Replacement workflow
1. Preserve meaning
Choose a synonym only if it keeps the core idea of "scant" intact in the sentence you are editing.
2. Tune tone
Check whether the replacement sounds more formal, casual, emotional, technical, or forceful than the original word.
3. Re-read context
Read the full sentence after the swap. Keep the synonym only when the sentence becomes clearer or more precise.
Review note: Synonym lists are ranked with lexical data and reviewed for practical writing value. Use the comparison notes, sentence evidence, and source labels together; a high-ranking synonym can still be wrong when the audience, register, or grammar changes.
Final fit check
After choosing a replacement for "scant", read the sentence once for meaning and once for rhythm. The best synonym should feel natural in the full sentence, not only accurate in a word list.
If the synonym makes the sentence slower, vaguer, or more dramatic than intended, keep "scant" or choose a simpler alternative from the closest-match group.
Related word relations
OpenGloss and ConceptNet supply richer edges like generalizations, collocations, and derivations.
More general
16 entriesMore specific
7 entriesCollocations
6 entriesscant attentionscant datascant evidencescant regardscant resourcesscant time
Inflections
5 entriesDerivations
9 entriessimilar
2 entriesSample sentences
31 total sentences available.
Scant difference.
Source: tatoeba (540355)
The volunteer firefighters fought the blaze bravely, with scant regard for their own safety.
Source: tatoeba (2883045)
"Have you heard about panpsychism?" "No, what's that?" "It's the idea that everything, at some level, has the aspect of mind." "You mean even this pillow?" "Yeah, at a scant level maybe, even that pillow has some mind. It's kind of Animistic."
Source: tatoeba (9374846)
Showing 4 of 31 available sentences.
Common questions
What are the closest synonyms for "scant"?
Closest matches include a small number, abstemious, aliquant, angustifoliate, angustirostrate.
How should I check whether a synonym fits "scant"?
Compare the replacement against real sentence context. This entry includes sample sentences so you can check tone, grammar, and meaning before swapping words.