scarce meaning and definition

SCARCE adjective

Definition of scarce (adjective)

1. deficient in quantity or number compared with the demand
   • "fresh vegetables were scarce during the drought"
   • antonym: abundant

SCARCE adverb

Definition of scarce (adverb)

1. only a very short time before
   • "they could barely hear the speaker"; "we hardly knew them"; "just missed being hit"; "had scarcely rung the bell when the door flew open"; "would have scarce arrived before she would have found some excuse to leave"- W.B.Yeats
   • synonyms: barely, hardly, just, scarcely