If scarcity were overcome, most of the crimes and even the prisons of today's society would no longer be necessary.
Source: tatoeba (2343359)
Scarcity
/ˈskɛɹsɪti/
Synonyms for "scarcity" (98 found)
Ranked by relevance and common usage.
Closest matches (20)
Noun(12 words)
Adjective(2 words)
dwindling resourcesempty shelves
Strong matches (29)
Noun(14 words)
erschöpfungexclusivityfaminefaminesgerman dünninfrequencyinsufficiencylackleanless frequentlyless sharedlimitationmeagrenessmore infrequent
Adjective(3 words)
limited availabilitylimited resourceslinguistic paucity
Related words (49)
Noun(18 words)
outagespaltrinesspaucitypenuryprivationsrarenessraritiesrarityresource gap exampleresource scarcityscantingscarcenessshortageshortagesshortnessskinninessstraiteningwant
Adjective(1 words)
rare value
Verb(1 words)
starve ecosystems
Choosing the right synonym
- Closest matches in this entry: absence, almost none, chinchiness, chintziness, dearth.
- Sentence evidence is available for scarcity, so synonym choice can be checked against real usage rather than a flat word list.
- Ranking signals come from moby, derived_reverse, opengloss, wiktionary, 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 "scarcity".
- Prefer the clearest word over the most unusual word when writing for speed or comprehension.
When not to replace "scarcity"
Keep "scarcity" 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 "scarcity" 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 "scarcity", 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 "scarcity" 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
8 entriesMore specific
6 entriesCollocations
5 entriesfood scarcityin times of scarcityscarcity mindsetscarcity of resourceswater scarcity
Inflections
1 entriesDerivations
5 entriesAntonyms
1 entriesSample sentences
14 total sentences available.
There seems to be a scarcity of Austrian chat rooms in the Web.
Source: tatoeba (2946488)
And the seven lean and thin kine that came up after them, and the seven thin ears that were blasted with the burning wind, are seven years of famine to come: Which shall be fulfilled in this order. Behold, there shall come seven years of great plenty in the whole land of Egypt, after which shall follow other seven years of so great scarcity, that all the abundance before shall be forgotten: for the famine shall consume all the land, and the greatness of the scarcity shall destroy the greatness of the plenty.
Source: tatoeba (7882948)
For the famine shall consume all the land, and the greatness of the scarcity shall destroy the greatness of the plenty.
Source: tatoeba (7882971)
Showing 4 of 14 available sentences.
Common questions
What are the closest synonyms for "scarcity"?
Closest matches include absence, almost none, chinchiness, chintziness, dearth.
How should I check whether a synonym fits "scarcity"?
Compare the replacement against real sentence context. This entry includes sample sentences so you can check tone, grammar, and meaning before swapping words.