scarce
gb/skˈɛɹs/ us/skˈɛɹs/
B1
English
~ 2800
Senses
0 senses
adjective
B1
property
1
In short supply
Not enough of something; hard to get.
Usage pattern:
[something] is scarce
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse 'scarce' with 'scared' because of similar spelling; they are unrelated in meaning.
Synonyms
rare (Implies unusual occurrence, but not always about quantity.)
|
limited (Focuses on the fixed, small amount available.)
Antonyms
plentiful (Emphasizes large availability in contrast to scarcity.)
|
abundant (Stresses more than enough supply.)
Collocations
scarce resources
|scarce water
|scarce food
|make scarce
|increasingly scarce
Themes
economics
|daily life
|environment
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- Fresh water is becoming increasingly scarce in some regions.
- Good jobs were scarce during the recession.
- Food was scarce after the long drought.
Learner examples
- Water is scarce in the desert.
- Good fruit is scarce in winter.
- Money is scarce for many families.
adverb
B2
property
2
Almost not at all
Almost not; only just.
Usage pattern:
[someone] can scarce [verb]
Common mistake:
Learners may overuse this sense in modern speech; it is somewhat old-fashioned and 'scarcely' is more common today.
Synonyms
barely (Emphasizes just enough or very little.)
|
hardly (Means almost not, interchangeable in many contexts.)
Antonyms
easily (Indicates no difficulty, opposite of 'with great difficulty'.)
Themes
core_vocabulary
Examples
- I could scarce believe my eyes when I saw the view.
- He could scarce afford the rent on his small salary.
- She could scarce speak from shock.
Learner examples
- I can scarce see in the dark.
- He could scarce walk after the race.
- They could scarce hear the music.
Grammar
Dictionary form
scarce
IPA
GB/skˈɛɹs/
US/skˈɛɹs/
Syllables & stress
scarce (1 syllable)
Stress on 1st syllable (scarce)
Word forms
Adjective
- Base: scarce
- Comparative: scarcer
- Superlative: scarcest
Word family
Expressions
make oneself scarce
1/mˈeɪk wˌʌnsˈɛlf skˈɛɹs/
idiom
informal
Leave quickly to avoid trouble
To go away quickly so people will not see you or so you avoid problems.
Examples
- I think we should make ourselves scarce before the boss sees us.
- He made himself scarce when the police arrived.