Improve your vocabulary by Quiz

Use scarce in a sentence

Definition of scarce:

  • (adjective) deficient in quantity or number compared with the demand;
  • (adjective) not enough; hard to find;
  • (adverb) by a small margin;

Sentence Examples:

They are scarce in collections, but in a few years we have no doubt but many of them will be plentiful.

He denied himself everything to get her food, and left himself scarce enough to keep the spark of life in him.

In a few hours' time, they say, there will be scarce three hundred left, and perhaps not so many.

I had plenty of milk and eggs, but the milk is getting scarce, and the eggs are falling off.

And yet all these thoughts have now vanished, and scarce left a record on the pages of memory behind!

With eyes that could scarce credit the evidence of their senses the man and woman gazed into the box.

The highest instruction we can derive from the tedious tale of a dull fellow scarce ever pays us for our attention.

Her private life, however, was madly eccentric, and her autobiography, published in 1755, is a curious and scarce work.

Comfort could scarce trust the evidence of his senses, until two daughters appeared, and joined in the earnest petition.

Cheese was just beginning to be scarce, and one person could buy only a quarter of a pound at a time.

Belinda held her breath to listen, while trembling so that she could scarce keep from falling to the ground.

And when trained assistants are scarce the obvious policy is to prepare other promising workers for such special places.

We landed at several cabins to procure provisions, but found them very scarce, most of the settlements being new.

It was a loved voice, sometimes an adored voice, but you saw nobody, and could scarce hear the sound of breathing.

There are some faults so nearly allied to excellence, that we can scarce weed out the vice without eradicating the virtue.

Feasting is then commenced, and kept up day and night until meat has become scarce, when another hunt follows.

He can scarce refuse to take it, to come and take it from my hands; thus we shall be face to face again.

I watched him for a moment, then, scarce knowing why, pressed through the crowd until I stood beside him.

Harvey held by the bridle a blooded bay hunter, and her like could scarce be found in the colony.

That evening the whole table complained of scarce knowing her: they loved her so much, she was so beautiful!

Money is rather a scarce article with me and I would like to know what my chances are of eating here.

It caused much distress amongst the poor, coals could hardly be obtained for money, and water was equally scarce.

The thought of it fairly possesses me now, as it was some beautiful dream, and I was scarce awake from sleep.

It ran straight and true, over expensive bridges where needed, with scarce a bend to hold back the flow.

There is no room here for others; there is scarce enough food for those who, thanks to their strength, do survive.

A top-notch carpenter is a jewel, he is a scarce article in these degenerate days of high wages and indifferent performance.

A did at the beginning of the campaign, and officers were scarce in proportion, but on the 1st of June Lieut.

It was the preservation of these supplies, over-abundant at certain times, scarce at others, which was their greatest difficulty.

News was news, he said, and, what was more, news was very scarce at this season of the year.

It is also rather scarce; but when it does occur, it occupies the whole tree, to the exclusion of the other.

There were but few birds, and insects also were scarce, the bleak wet weather doubtless being unsuitable for them.

He had scarce heard what Kite said; he was curiously abstracted, as though all this did not concern him.

She swam through the air as though her feet scarce touched the floor, her loose silken skirts resembling wings.

White men had taken his bow and arrows; game was scarce, and he had no means of procuring it.

Candles, like matches, were scarce, and, besides, the strenuous life, and the fresh open air, always had their effect.

When food was scarce and the tribe were starving, Miser could find fish in secret places in the streams.

These and loving memories, that can scarce be separated from them, are now all that is left of her.

Scarce a murmured word accompanied the action, the acting said all; and a noble thrill ran through the audience.

Scarce a murmured word accompanied the action, the acting said all; and a noble thrill ran through the audience.

Mechanically, and scarce knowing what she did, she laid her trembling hand on the arm held out to her.

Michael was not at the trouble to talk much, for his visitor seemed scarce worthy of powder and shot.

"Faith, it is too bad, entirely; there we are left out in the cold, and scarce a shot has been fired!"

And I fell in love with her at sight, so that I could scarce keep my seat on my horse's back.

He has learned that there is only a small garrison at the fort, which can scarce hope to resist us.

And it to be very shallow, and seeming as that the water scarce to cover the mud of the bottom.

George's banner, broad and gay, hung in the evening breeze that scarce had power to wave it o'er the keep.

Even those, who owed all their riches to their own industry, could scarce ground their acquisitions upon a better title.

They have traveled a long way and over roads that are very dusty, and water is scarce the entire distance.

To kill a duck with an arrow scarce paid for the labor of stalking and the long hours in hiding.

The soul is scarce moved as yet, and still this is the most difficult of gestures, because the most complex.

I haven't any in stock, and the kind that is sound and good for canoe building is scarce these days.

In their anxiety to struggle forward, they had but little time to hunt, and scarce any game in their path.

However mad he acknowledged his errand to be, I think he was scarce visited by a doubt of its success.

I could see she was scarce fit to bear any further suffering just then; but what was to be done?

Besides, it scarce ever happens that a ship is form'd, fitted for the sea, and sail'd by the same person.

Not a sound could I detect, however, and the night was so still that scarce a leaf stirred about me.

She's scarce given me a word more'n in the way of business, as you might say, this last three month.

Down went the bucket with a clatter upon the stones, and Joe looked around as though scarce trusting his ears.

I rather put my faith, that can scarce move mountains, in some subtle means, if any man might devise them.

Men who have only been wounded once, are more and more scarce, some have returned to the front four or five times.

Scarce knowing what I did, I turned to look at Tom, and saw that his face was white and set.

Besides, it scarce ever happens that a ship is form'd, fitted for the sea, and sail'd by the same person.

When he came to himself it was still dark, and for a moment he could scarce remember what had happened.

It could not bear that a woman, scarce twenty years of age, should thus make war against it, and overcome.

Women are become more scarce, and set a higher value on their charms, which occasions many desperate battles amongst them.

And I can say to his memory that scarce for one waking hour have I any day forgotten the lesson.

Had it been a cannon instead of a pistol it could scarce have been heard on the shore in such a din.

The men were under a terrific fire, but were not allowed to reply to it, for ammunition was growing scarce.

On the 2nd of July his Grace stormed the post, with what success on our part need scarce be told.

He took me out of the fire upon his shoulders, and nursed me through my illness as love will scarce ever do.

Torrance received them with a burst of joy, shaking each by hand in turn, scarce knowing what he was doing.

It was first tried at the west end of the town, and, as the poet confessed, "would scarce do there."

"You would forgive him in the next, Madame," I answered, scarce knowing what I said, "and he would be contented."

And scarce will you believe, when we meet, as meet I pray we shall, I am the same Lucy of days past.

On the 2nd of July, his grace stormed the post, with what success on our part need scarce be told.

Thousands were swept away daily; grass grew in the streets, and the living were scarce able to bury the dead.

One circumstance is suspicious: my critical estimate of the Waverley Novels has scarce changed at all since I was ten.

He has walked most of the distance, for he is warmer walking, and there are scarce enough quilts for two.

Why in ten thousand years scarce will the rain and storms lessen a mountain top by a span in thickness?

Mountain and plain and Arctic hares and rabbits are plentiful or scarce in localities, according to seasons or other circumstances.

It is scarce necessary to say that Maynard promised to honor the invitation, and made careful registry of the address.

I'm glad I don't know; mystery is growing so scarce, that I am thankful for anything which cannot be explained.

It is an exceedingly scarce bird, and beyond its having an Arctic habitat, little has yet been ascertained about it.

Drifting throughout the night, he could scarce believe his eyes when the sharp air of the cold morning awoke him.

Indeed, it is a wise provision of nature for the safety of the bird in a region where hiding places are scarce.

Winslow's, for you were always their great friend, and there is scarce a limit to their love for John Alden.

They are of several sorts, and degrees of value, some worth many common Camels, others scarce worth two or three.

If materials are scarce in any degree, their continued use for one purpose increases their scarcity in all other uses.

He asked, looking from one to the other; and the men themselves seemed scarce to know what answer to make.

The birds are getting scarce, and it seems too much trouble for those that are about to lift their voices.

The most bloody defeats till then had scarce ever cost them more than four or five hundred of their citizens.

Hitherto his manners had been such an improvement on those of preceding Prussians that he could scarce believe his ears.

We here filed off by a little path, scarce worthy however of the name, for a distance of six miles.

If he is fat and food is scarce, an early, heavy snow is pretty certain to cause him to turn in early.

Pharaoh must have been weakened to some purpose, or he had scarce listened patiently to a demand which seemed well-nigh a defiance.

At that time labor was very scarce in the great central region of the country, and the farms were enormous.

At that period I was only a child, scarce fourteen: there is, consequently, nothing extraordinary in your having forgotten me.

As for the King, he was, I can scarce doubt, glad at heart that the season of waiting was over.

I have scarce seen any of the geniuses of Paris, who, I think, have in general great merit, as men of letters.

I would gladly ask you to stay, but there is scarce space for us two, that are husband and wife.