sparse

adjective

ˈspärs

sparser; sparsest

: of few and scattered elements

especially : not thickly grown or settled

sparsely adverb

sparseness noun

sparsity

ˈspär-sə-tē How to pronounce sparse (audio)

-stē

noun

Example Sentences

open land is sparse around here

Recent Examples on the Web While data on the vaccine most commonly used against monkeypox, smallpox vaccine Jynneos, is sparse, limited data from studies in the 1980s suggested that smallpox vaccines are only about 85% effective against monkeypox, Lewis said.

Erin Prater, Fortune, 18 Aug. 2022 Studies that examined whether those anecdotes could be explained by science were sparse and small—which is not surprising, given the slow pace of research on menstruation within vaccine trials.

Hannah Smothers, SELF, 1 Aug. 2022 As is typical for these Apple announcements, details were sparse.

Talal Ansari, WSJ, 24 Aug. 2022 This helps the animal survive when food and fresh water are sparse.

Richard Johnson, The Conversation, 22 Aug. 2022 This helps the animal survive when food and fresh water are sparse.

The Conversation, oregonlive, 22 Aug. 2022 The dialogue is sparse, there's just so much there under the surface.

Dan Snierson, EW.com, 16 Aug. 2022 As FiveThirtyEight has noted, public polling in the race has been sparse but favors Hageman.

Brittany Shepherd, ABC News, 15 Aug. 2022 But since the start of the outbreak in the U.S. earlier this spring, messaging and outreach to at-risk groups has been inconsistent, and resources like vaccinations and treatment are still sparse.

Theresa Gaffney, STAT, 12 Aug. 2022 See More

sparse

adjective

as in scarce

less plentiful than what is normal, necessary, or desirable open land is sparse around here

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

scarce
scanty
poor
scant
meager
skimpy
lacking
light
small
insufficient
slender
inadequate
meagre
short
minimal
sparing
exiguous
lowest
stingy
spare
slim
skimp
thin
deficient
mere
thin on the ground
niggardly
hand-to-mouth
bare-bones
least
sterile
bare
wanting
barren
slightest
littlest
slight
unfruitful
unproductive
infertile

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

abundant
adequate
ample
plentiful
copious
sufficient
bountiful
generous
satisfactory
enough
rich
liberal
tolerable
fertile
prolific
fruitful
fat
plenteous
lavish
luxuriant
extra
fecund
excess
flourishing
bursting
thriving
surplus
teeming
proliferative
swarming
blooming

Synonym Chooser

Some common synonyms of sparse are meager, scanty, scant, skimpy, and spare. While all these words mean "falling short of what is normal, necessary, or desirable," sparse implies a thin scattering of units.

a sparse population

Although the words meager and sparse have much in common, meager implies the absence of elements, qualities, or numbers necessary to a thing's richness, substance, or potency.

a meager portion of meat

The words scant and sparse are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, scant suggests a falling short of what is desired or desirable rather than of what is essential.

in January the daylight hours are scant

While in some cases nearly identical to sparse, scanty stresses insufficiency in amount, quantity, or extent.

supplies too scanty to last the winter

The meanings of skimpy and sparse largely overlap; however, skimpy usually suggests niggardliness or penury as the cause of the deficiency.

tacky housing developments on skimpy lots

In some situations, the words spare and sparse are roughly equivalent. However, spare may suggest a slight falling short of adequacy or merely an absence of superfluity.

a spare, concise style of writing

单词	sparse
释义	sparse adjective ˈspärs sparser; sparsest : of few and scattered elements especially : not thickly grown or settled sparsely adverb sparseness noun sparsity ˈspär-sə-tē -stē noun Synonyms exiguous hand-to-mouth light meager meagre niggardly poor scant scanty scarce skimp skimpy slender slim spare sparing stingy See all Synonyms & Antonyms Example Sentences open land is sparse around here Recent Examples on the Web While data on the vaccine most commonly used against monkeypox, smallpox vaccine Jynneos, is sparse, limited data from studies in the 1980s suggested that smallpox vaccines are only about 85% effective against monkeypox, Lewis said. Erin Prater, Fortune, 18 Aug. 2022 Studies that examined whether those anecdotes could be explained by science were sparse and small—which is not surprising, given the slow pace of research on menstruation within vaccine trials. Hannah Smothers, SELF, 1 Aug. 2022 As is typical for these Apple announcements, details were sparse. Talal Ansari, WSJ, 24 Aug. 2022 This helps the animal survive when food and fresh water are sparse. Richard Johnson, The Conversation, 22 Aug. 2022 This helps the animal survive when food and fresh water are sparse. The Conversation, oregonlive, 22 Aug. 2022 The dialogue is sparse, there's just so much there under the surface. Dan Snierson, EW.com, 16 Aug. 2022 As FiveThirtyEight has noted, public polling in the race has been sparse but favors Hageman. Brittany Shepherd, ABC News, 15 Aug. 2022 But since the start of the outbreak in the U.S. earlier this spring, messaging and outreach to at-risk groups has been inconsistent, and resources like vaccinations and treatment are still sparse. Theresa Gaffney, STAT, 12 Aug. 2022 See More Word History Etymology Latin sparsus spread out, from past participle of spargere to scatter — more at spark First Known Use 1753, in the meaning defined above Kids Definition sparse adjective ˈspärs sparser; sparsest : not thickly grown or settled a sparse beard sparse adjective as in scarce less plentiful than what is normal, necessary, or desirable open land is sparse around here Synonyms & Similar Words Relevance scarce scanty poor scant meager skimpy lacking light small insufficient slender inadequate meagre short minimal sparing exiguous lowest stingy spare slim skimp thin deficient mere thin on the ground niggardly hand-to-mouth bare-bones least sterile bare wanting barren slightest littlest slight unfruitful unproductive infertile Antonyms & Near Antonyms abundant adequate ample plentiful copious sufficient bountiful generous satisfactory enough rich liberal tolerable fertile prolific fruitful fat plenteous lavish luxuriant extra fecund excess flourishing bursting thriving surplus teeming proliferative swarming blooming See More Synonym Chooser Some common synonyms of sparse are meager, scanty, scant, skimpy, and spare. While all these words mean "falling short of what is normal, necessary, or desirable," sparse implies a thin scattering of units. a sparse population Although the words meager and sparse have much in common, meager implies the absence of elements, qualities, or numbers necessary to a thing's richness, substance, or potency. a meager portion of meat The words scant and sparse are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, scant suggests a falling short of what is desired or desirable rather than of what is essential. in January the daylight hours are scant While in some cases nearly identical to sparse, scanty stresses insufficiency in amount, quantity, or extent. supplies too scanty to last the winter The meanings of skimpy and sparse largely overlap; however, skimpy usually suggests niggardliness or penury as the cause of the deficiency. tacky housing developments on skimpy lots In some situations, the words spare and sparse are roughly equivalent. However, spare may suggest a slight falling short of adequacy or merely an absence of superfluity. a spare, concise style of writing
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sparse

adjective

Synonyms

Example Sentences

Word History

Kids Definition

adjective

adjective

Synonym Chooser