Sparse gathering

USAGE SUMMARY

"sparse gathering" is correct and usable in written English. You can use it to describe a meeting or assembly that has very few participants. For example, "The sparse gathering at the event made it feel more intimate." Alternative expressions include "scant assembly" and "thin turnout."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Encyclopedias

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

2 human-written examples

Mauresmo, a freshly minted Olympics silver medalist, struggled with her serve before a sparse gathering at center court but never trailed in either set.

The New York Times - Sports

Preseason Knicks attendance was eye opening, and the equally sparse gathering of reporters at the team's practice site yesterday was reflective of the city's baseball obsession but perhaps also of a lack of chutzpah to overpromote the Knicks as something they are most obviously not.

The New York Times - Sports

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

58 human-written examples

After half a lifetime toiling away in frowsty rooms above pubs, preaching the disregarded gospel of socialism to sparse gatherings of the like-minded dozing on rickety chairs, here he was, reborn as the headline act.

Independent

Then I heard the announcer telling the sparse crowd slowly gathering in the field that he wanted them to "give some appreciation to a special guest from England, Mr Adharanand Finn".

The Guardian - Lifestyle

This finding is significant given the many regions of the world with sparse gauging networks and limited resources for gathering the field data required to calibrate rainfall runoff models.

Journal of Hydrology

But he made it count, starting with the sparse accompaniment of a bass line and inexorably gathering steam.

The New York Times - Arts

In their paper, Ristroph, Liao, and Zhang suggest that the lateral line could "serve as a design principle for placing detectors on underwater vehicles, where it would offer the advantage of gathering flow information using a relatively sparse sensory network".

The New Yorker

It can be formulated as a sparse signal estimation problem by defining the dictionary Φ gathering all the possible modes obtained by sampling α (P samples) and f (K samples) on a 2-D grid.

EURASIP Journal on Advances in Signal Processing

In areas with sparse economic resources, people often lived in seminomadic bands of 20 to 30 individuals, gathering together in larger groups only temporarily for such activities as antelope drives and piñon-nut harvests.

Encyclopedia Britannica

A storm is gathering.

The New York Times

The hats were gathering.

The New Yorker

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "sparse gathering", consider the context. It's suitable for describing events or meetings where the attendance is noticeably low, creating a sense of emptiness or lack of engagement.

Common error

Avoid using "sparse gathering" excessively in formal reports or academic papers. While grammatically correct, it can sometimes sound informal or judgmental. Opt for more neutral terms like "low attendance" or "limited participation" in professional settings.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "sparse gathering" functions as a noun phrase where 'sparse' modifies the noun 'gathering'. The combination describes the nature of the gathering, indicating that it is small or thinly populated. As confirmed by Ludwig AI, this phrase is considered grammatically correct.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

50%

Science

25%

Encyclopedias

25%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Wiki

0%

Academia

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "sparse gathering" is a grammatically sound phrase used to describe a small or thinly attended assembly. Ludwig AI confirms its correctness and usability. While not overly common, it appears in reputable sources like The New York Times and The Guardian. The phrase carries a neutral to slightly informal tone and is suitable for describing events with low attendance. For more formal settings, alternatives such as "low attendance" or "limited participation" may be more appropriate.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

small assembly

Replaces 'sparse' with 'small', focusing on the size of the group.

thinly attended meeting

Emphasizes the low attendance at a meeting, using 'thinly attended' instead of 'sparse'.

poorly attended event

Focuses on the lack of attendance at an event.

meager turnout

Highlights the small number of people who turned up.

limited audience

Describes the audience as being small or restricted in size.

scant crowd

Uses 'scant' to emphasize the lack of people in the crowd.

underpopulated group

Highlights the low number of people in the group

reduced presence

Focuses on the diminished number of people present.

light attendance

Indicates that the number of people attending is low.

minimal gathering

Replaces "sparse" with "minimal", indicating a small amount of people present.

FAQs

How can I use "sparse gathering" in a sentence?

You can use "sparse gathering" to describe a situation where only a few people are present, such as, "The speaker was disappointed by the "sparse gathering" at his lecture".

What's a more formal alternative to "sparse gathering"?

In more formal contexts, consider using phrases like "low attendance" or "limited participation" instead of ""sparse gathering"".

What does "sparse gathering" imply about an event?

"Sparse gathering" implies that an event was not well-attended, which can suggest a lack of interest or poor promotion. The related alternative "poorly attended event" has a similar connotation.

Is "sparse gathering" negative in connotation?

Yes, "sparse gathering" can have a slightly negative connotation, suggesting disappointment or failure to attract a large crowd. In same regard it's very similar to the term "meager turnout".