sparse
Thinly dispersed or scattered; not dense or plentiful
Examples
In a meeting
“The documentation is quite sparse — we need more detailed examples.”
Over coffee
“The furniture in their new apartment is pretty sparse right now.”
Why this word
few
Sparse emphasizes the wide spacing or thinness of distribution, while few only indicates low quantity
scattered
Sparse suggests insufficient quantity across an area, while scattered just means spread out without implying inadequacy
thin
Sparse is more precise for countable items widely distributed, while thin is vaguer and often refers to density or thickness
Usage tip
Use to describe insufficient quantity or distribution. Implies something is less than what's needed or expected.
Etymology
Latin 'sparsus' from 'spargere' (to scatter)
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Related words
perpetual
Never ending or changing; occurring continuously.
ample
More than enough; plentiful and sufficient.
negligible
So small or unimportant as to not be worth considering.
excessive
More than what is necessary, normal, or desirable; too much.
versatile
Able to adapt or be adapted to many different functions or activities.
inadvertent
Not resulting from or achieved through deliberate planning; unintentional.