as in shortages
a falling short of an essential or desirable amount or number
the scarcity of good restaurants around here is surprising
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Recent Examples of scarcities
Still, the financial strain continued and, by the fall, dozens of staff and prisoners were telling ProPublica about unusual scarcities in facilities across the country.
—
Keri Blakinger, ProPublica, 25 Feb. 2026
This is because climate change and ecological collapse are very likely to cause political fragmentation that nullifies legal and cultural precedents like abolition, and bring about agrarian and manufacturing crises and scarcities in which people are forced into labor.
—Literary Hub, 12 Dec. 2025
In addition to political persecution, returning Venezuelans would reenter a country teetering on collapse—maligned by hyperinflation, soaring unemployment, rampant crime, frequent power outages, water shortages and chronic scarcities of food and medicine.
—Antonio Maria Delgado, Miami Herald, 3 Sep. 2025
Keri Blakinger, ProPublica, 25 Feb. 2026
This is because climate change and ecological collapse are very likely to cause political fragmentation that nullifies legal and cultural precedents like abolition, and bring about agrarian and manufacturing crises and scarcities in which people are forced into labor.
—Literary Hub, 12 Dec. 2025
In addition to political persecution, returning Venezuelans would reenter a country teetering on collapse—maligned by hyperinflation, soaring unemployment, rampant crime, frequent power outages, water shortages and chronic scarcities of food and medicine.
—Antonio Maria Delgado, Miami Herald, 3 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for scarcities
Noun
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Analysts partially credit the stability to a mature domestic biofuels industry that allows the country to withstand geopolitical shocks with minimal risk of fuel shortages.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
31 Mar. 2026
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Aluminum prices hit a four‑year high as Iranian strikes on Middle Eastern producers stoke fears of supply shortages.—
Lim Hui Jie,
CNBC,
31 Mar. 2026
Noun
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As of Wednesday, firearms dealers are required under state law to use scanners that pull the prospective purchaser’s name, date of birth and other details from the card’s magnetic strip, which the new design lacks — except if they are authorized otherwise.—
Madison Smalstig,
Sacbee.com,
25 Feb. 2026
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Each provides amino acids that the other lacks, so eating them together gives you all the essential amino acids.—
Merve Ceylan,
Health,
27 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Scarcities.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/scarcities. Accessed 4 Apr. 2026.
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