sparse

1 of 2

adjective

ˈspärs How to pronounce sparse (audio)
sparser; sparsest
Synonyms of sparse
: 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

sparsity

2 of 2

noun

spar·​si·​ty
variants or less commonly sparcity
ˈspärsətē, 
-pȧs-, 
-ətē, 
-i
plural -es
: the state of being sparse : scantiness
sparsity of vegetation

Synonyms of sparse

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Adjective

See All Synonyms & Antonyms in Thesaurus
Choose the Right Synonym for sparse

meager, scanty, scant, skimpy, spare, sparse mean falling short of what is normal, necessary, or desirable.

meager implies the absence of elements, qualities, or numbers necessary to a thing's richness, substance, or potency.

a meager portion of meat

scanty stresses insufficiency in amount, quantity, or extent.

supplies too scanty to last the winter

scant suggests a falling short of what is desired or desirable rather than of what is essential.

in January the daylight hours are scant

skimpy usually suggests niggardliness or penury as the cause of the deficiency.

tacky housing developments on skimpy lots

spare may suggest a slight falling short of adequacy or merely an absence of superfluity.

a spare, concise style of writing

sparse implies a thin scattering of units.

a sparse population

Examples of sparse in a Sentence

Adjective open land is sparse around here
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Adjective
Polling is sparse, but Hamilton has narrowly led several polls released over the past month. — Jack Harvel, Kansas City Star, 14 Oct. 2026 In both approaches, models rely on approximations to fill data gaps, whether from regions with sparse weather stations or complex atmospheric phenomena that scientists are still working to understand. — Justine Calma, The Verge, 14 Oct. 2026 Menon's photo reveals spectacular pink, purple and red auroras glowing in Earth's upper atmosphere above a sparse dappling of city lights, subtly blurred by the motion of the orbital spacecraft over the course of the exposure. — Anthony Wood, Space.com, 13 Oct. 2026 Most accumulation will be sparse, including snow, where snowfall could reach 1–2 inches along mountain peaks between Lake Tahoe and Mammoth Springs. — Sean MacAday, Sacbee.com, 12 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for sparse

Word History

Etymology

Adjective

Latin sparsus spread out, from past participle of spargere to scatter — more at spark

First Known Use

Adjective

1753, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of sparse was in 1753

Rhymes for sparse

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Browse Nearby Words

sparry limestone
sparse
sparsely
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Sparse.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sparse. Accessed 20 Oct. 2026.

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Kids Definition

sparse

adjective
ˈspärs How to pronounce sparse (audio)
sparser; sparsest
: of few and scattered elements
especially : not thickly grown or settled
sparsely adverb
sparseness noun
sparsity
ˈspär-sət-ē How to pronounce sparse (audio)
noun
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