sparse

adjective

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

Synonyms

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

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.
This is an area of space where gas in the interstellar medium is relatively sparse, with an overall low density. — Keith Cooper, Space.com, 16 June 2025 Seek out tacit knowledge that is not documented anywhere or is sparse but will be key in driving successful autonomous decisions. 4. — Lucas Persona, Forbes.com, 16 June 2025 Foot traffic was sparse Tuesday morning on South Broadway, a street normally teeming with shoppers and pedestrians. — Nathan Solis, Los Angeles Times, 10 June 2025 The president’s order is sparse on concrete details about how domestic enrichment will be stood up in the U.S. — Spencer Kimball, CNBC, 6 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for sparse

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

Time Traveler
The first known use of sparse was in 1753

Rhymes for sparse

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Browse Nearby Words

sparry limestone
sparse
Sparta
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Sparse.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sparse. Accessed 27 Jun. 2025.

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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

More from Merriam-Webster on sparse

Nglish: Translation of sparse for Spanish Speakers

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