adjective

scanty

/ˈskænti/ · say it: SKAN·tee

small or insufficient in amount

In Describing & Comparing

In more detail

1. (adjective) small in amount or quantity; not enough

2. (adjective) short and showing more of the body than is usual or proper

Examples

1. The refugees survived on scanty food rations.
2. She wore a scanty bikini at the beach.

How to use scanty

Scanty describes something that is noticeably small or insufficient in amount, often with an implication of disappointment or concern. It can refer to abstract things like information or evidence, or to concrete things like clothing or meals. The word carries a slightly more critical or emphatic tone than 'insufficient' and is somewhat more formal than 'meager.'

Common phrases

scanty evidence
scanty clothing
scanty information
scanty resources
scanty details

Synonyms

meager · sparse · insufficient · inadequate · skimpy

Opposites

abundant · ample · generous

Word family

scantily (adverb) · scantiness (noun)

A common mistake

Learners sometimes use 'scanty' when they mean 'scarce' (difficult to find) rather than 'scanty' (small in amount); while related, scarce emphasizes rarity whereas scanty emphasizes insufficiency.

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