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📕 rednote ID(小红书号)：3881567312

Scarce: Definition, Usage & Common Mistakes (2 meaning)

Meaning 1：rarely found (scarce)

scarce 🔊

/skeəs/

adj.

Not easy to find or get; present in very small amounts.

Scarce concept illustrated by a solitary giant panda in a vast, sparsely vegetated bamboo forest.

rarely found 🔊

➕

/ˈreərli faʊnd/

adj.

Describing something that exists in such small quantities that it is difficult to encounter or obtain.

📁 Category：Animal Protection 🔖 Level：Intermediate

📘 Details & Usage

📖 Root Explanation

From Old French 'escars' (scanty), ultimately from Latin 'excarpsus' (picked out, plucked), suggesting a reduced quantity.

💡 Mnemonic

Scarce things leave a scarce trace (scar-ce).

📖 Example

Pandas are a national treasure of China, and seeing one in the wild is scarce because of their small population. 🔊 Pandas are a national treasure of China, and sightings of them in the wild are rarely found due to their small population.

🔗 Collocations

scarce resource – A naturally occurring material that is in limited supply.

scarce commodity – A valuable item that is difficult to obtain.

make oneself scarce – To leave or avoid being present, often to avoid trouble or attention.

🔄 Synonyms

rare (adj.) – Not occurring or found often; unusual.

uncommon (adj.) – Not happening or found often; out of the ordinary.

sparse (adj.) – Thinly dispersed or scattered; existing only in small amounts.

🚫 Antonyms

abundant (adj.) – Existing or available in large quantities; plentiful.

plentiful (adj.) – Existing in or yielding great quantities; abundant.

🌱 Derivatives

scarcely (adv.) – Only just; almost not.

scarcity (n.) – The state of being scarce or in short supply.

📖 Cultural Story

In modern economics, 'scarce' is a foundational concept describing resources with limited availability relative to unlimited human wants, central to theories of supply, demand, and pricing.

Meaning 2：insufficient (scarce)

scarce 🔊

/skeəs/

adj.

Not enough in quantity to meet the demand or need.

Scarce resources shown by a dry, cracked riverbed with only a few tiny puddles of water remaining.

insufficient 🔊

➕

/ˌɪnsəˈfɪʃnt/

adj.

Describing a quantity that is less than what is needed or demanded.

📁 Category：Social Economy 🔖 Level：Intermediate

📘 Details & Usage

📖 Example

During the long summer, water became scarce in the village, so everyone had to use it very carefully. 🔊 During the long summer, water became insufficient in the village, so everyone had to use it very carefully.

🔗 Collocations

scarce supply – An amount of something that is not enough to meet the demand.

scarce rainfall – A very low amount of precipitation.

scarce skills – Abilities or expertise that are in high demand but low availability.

🔄 Synonyms

limited (adj.) – Restricted in size, amount, or extent; not abundant.

inadequate (adj.) – Not sufficient or satisfactory for a requirement.

meager (adj.) – Lacking in quantity or quality; inadequate.

🚫 Antonyms

sufficient (adj.) – Enough; adequate for a purpose or need.

ample (adj.) – Enough or more than enough; plentiful.

🌱 Derivatives

scarcely (adv.) – Only just; almost not.

scarcity (n.) – The state of being scarce or in short supply.