a scarcity of time

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "a scarcity of time" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it when discussing situations where time is limited or in short supply. Example: "Due to a scarcity of time, we had to rush through the final stages of the project."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

3 human-written examples

But a scarcity of time was only one – and perhaps the least – of his problems.

The Guardian - Books

Chronically busy people, suffering from a scarcity of time, also demonstrate impaired abilities and make self-defeating choices, such as unproductive multi-tasking or neglecting family for work.

The Guardian - Books

Finally, the acceleration of the pace of life, which occurs despite the expectation that technological progress increases an individual's free time, can be defined as the "increase of episodes of action and/or experiences per unit of time as a result of a scarcity of time resources" [27:221].

European Journal of Futures Research

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

57 human-written examples

Our grandchildren will look upon the present age of so-called abundance as the end of the original human era, during which a terrible and absolute scarcity of time prevailed.

The Economist

A lack of time, a scarcity of feedback on previously reported incidents, a rejection of bureaucracy, and associating reporting more with nursing discourage physicians from reporting incidents [ 5, 16, 17].

BMC Health Services Research

A sort of de facto tribalism occurs when there is a scarcity of resources, staff, and time, not to mention an overarching strategy or agenda.

Huffington Post

There is currently a shortage of cutting-edge bioinformatics training courses in Australia as a consequence of a scarcity of skilled trainers with time and funding to develop and deliver training courses.

Briefings in Bioinformatics

This presented a problem, as the base was large and awkwardly shaped, and the drink weighed enough that lifting it towards my lips felt like a workout, especially considering the scarcity of time I spent away from the pool.

BBC

Several officials close to Mr. Barnes said the governor was convinced that Mr. Miller was the only Georgia Democrat who could hold on to the seat in November, particularly given the scarcity of time to raise money and organize a campaign.

The New York Times

The results show that the proposed technique can fit data to a pre-defined precision even in situations where the data set has thousands of features but only a limited number of points in time are available, a situation in which traditional statistical alternatives encounter difficulties, due to the scarcity of time points.

Biosystems

The big difference is that it isn't designed to make you feel bad about your incompetence or lack of ease or shortage of creativity or crushing scarcity of time (as Stewart seemed intent on doing).

The New York Times - Magazine

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "a scarcity of time" when you want to emphasize the pressure or difficulty caused by the limited time available.

Common error

Avoid using "a scarcity of time" in very casual conversations or informal writing. A simpler phrase will often be more effective.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "a scarcity of time" functions as a noun phrase, typically serving as the subject or object of a sentence. It describes a situation where time is limited, as supported by the examples provided by Ludwig.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

33%

Science

33%

Formal & Business

33%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "a scarcity of time" is a grammatically correct and usable phrase that describes a situation where time is limited or insufficient. Ludwig AI confirms this. While it's suitable for formal and professional contexts, simpler alternatives like "lack of time" might be preferred in casual settings. The phrase appears across various reputable sources, including news media, scientific publications and business documents. Remember to use this phrase when you want to emphasize the challenging implications of limited time resources.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

lack of time

A more direct way of stating the absence of sufficient time.

shortage of time

Similar to scarcity, but perhaps implying a more pressing need.

limited time

Emphasizes the finite nature of the time resource.

time constraint

Focuses on the limiting aspect of time.

time limitation

Highlights the restricted amount of time available.

time deficit

Presents the lack of time in terms of a shortfall.

paucity of time

Uses a less common word for scarcity, indicating a small amount of time.

time crunch

Suggests a stressful situation due to insufficient time.

limited availability

Focuses on the difficulty in finding free time.

exiguity of time

Emphasizes the extremely small amount of time.

FAQs

What does "a scarcity of time" mean?

The phrase "a scarcity of time" means there is not enough time available to complete necessary tasks or activities. It implies a limited amount of time that is insufficient to meet demands.

How can I use "a scarcity of time" in a sentence?

You can use "a scarcity of time" to explain why something could not be done or was done poorly, for example: "Due to "a scarcity of time", the project was rushed."

What can I say instead of "a scarcity of time"?

You can use alternatives like "lack of time", "limited time", or "shortage of time" depending on the context.

Is "a scarcity of time" formal or informal?

The phrase "a scarcity of time" is generally considered more formal than alternatives like "lack of time". Choose your wording based on the tone and audience of your writing.