quite scant

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "quite scant" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to describe something that is very limited or insufficient in quantity or extent. Example: "The report provided quite scant information on the project's progress, leaving many questions unanswered."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

4 human-written examples

Of particular note is that many researchers mainly focus on robust estimation for the Weibull distribution and that robust estimation for the BS distribution is quite scant, even though the BS distribution is prevalent in the engineering sciences as an effective model of studying fatigue data.

Journal of Statistical Distributions and Applications

Here, the nameless compiler comes across a French book in 1968 that, supplemented "by historical information that was actually quite scant,... claimed to reproduce faithfully a fourteenth-century manuscript that, in its turn, had been found in the monastery of Melk" in the eighteenth century.

Huffington Post

Although the literature on the perceptions of health insurance in developing countries is thus far quite scant, available studies show economic, socio-cultural and demographic variables as important correlates of enrolment in health insurance [ 16, 19- 25, 26, 26].

BMC International Health and Human Rights

Data on the precise prevalence and level of depression among adolescents in Nigeria appear to be quite scant, but the prevalence of students experiencing severe depressive symptoms in this study (5.7%) is quite similar to that reported by a few other studies.

Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Mental Health

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

55 human-written examples

And it is not quite true that people don't come over, although the list of those let in is rather scant.

The New York Times

But, if we stop to consider the results of these efforts, it's impossible not to question whether it's really all worth it; worth so large a share of our precious, and scant, resources and quite so much of our time.

The Guardian

As a parent of a toddler and another due to make her debut in scant weeks, I've thought quite a bit about the issue of spanking.

Huffington Post

I don't quite understand how Christians who cite these six scant verses in the Bible that condemn homosexuality conveniently ignore some of the more extreme laws.

Huffington Post

In Russia, such an act of collective defiance by members of the business community is quite a feat: over the years, Putin's system has shown scant tolerance for businessmen who dared oppose it.

The New Yorker

Biographical information regarding Respighi's political views is scant, but his tone poem, written in 1924, ends, quite literally, with a March on Rome, which inevitably carries overtones of Mussolini's infamous arrival in the Italian capital two years previously.

The Guardian - Music

The scant influence of quality is perhaps unsurprisingly given the quite crude nature of existing information [ 40].

BMC Health Services Research

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "quite scant" when you want to subtly emphasize that something is not just limited, but noticeably so. It adds a touch of understatement, making it suitable for both formal and informal contexts where you want to convey a sense of mild disappointment or inadequacy without being overly critical.

Common error

Avoid using "quite scant" excessively, as the repeated use of "quite" can dilute its impact and make your writing sound repetitive. Opt for synonyms like "rather limited" or "fairly meager" to maintain a varied and engaging tone.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "quite scant" functions as an adverb-adjective construction, modifying a noun to indicate a notably small or insufficient amount. As Ludwig AI confirms, it's grammatically correct and adds a subtle emphasis to the lack of something, as shown in the examples where information or data is described as limited.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

30%

Science

30%

Formal & Business

20%

Less common in

Wiki

10%

Reference

5%

Academia

5%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "quite scant" is a grammatically sound phrase used to describe something noticeably limited or insufficient. As confirmed by Ludwig AI, it functions as an adverb-adjective construction. While relatively rare, its usage is appropriate in both formal and informal settings, particularly in News & Media and Scientific contexts. For alternative phrasing, consider "rather limited" or "fairly meager". Avoid overuse to maintain impact and clarity in your writing.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

rather limited

Emphasizes the restriction or smallness of something to a higher degree.

fairly meager

Suggests a smaller quantity or quality compared to what might be expected.

somewhat sparse

Highlights the scattered or thinly distributed nature of something.

relatively little

Focuses on the small quantity of something in comparison to something else.

not much

A more informal way of expressing a small quantity or extent.

hardly any

Implies that there is very little or almost none of something.

scarcely sufficient

Emphasizes the lack of adequacy of something.

moderately deficient

Highlights the lack of something necessary or expected.

pretty slim

An informal way to describe something as being insubstantial or meager.

distinctly inadequate

Emphasizes the noticeable insufficiency of something.

FAQs

How can I use "quite scant" in a sentence?

"Quite scant" is used to describe something that is limited or insufficient. For example, "The information available on the topic was "quite scant", making it difficult to draw firm conclusions."

What's a good alternative to "quite scant"?

Alternatives include "rather limited", "fairly meager", or "somewhat sparse". The best choice depends on the specific nuance you want to convey.

Is "quite scant" formal or informal?

"Quite scant" is suitable for both formal and informal contexts. Its formality depends more on the surrounding language and the overall tone of the writing.

What does "quite scant" emphasize compared to "scant" alone?

Adding "quite" before "scant" intensifies the sense of limitation or insufficiency. It suggests that the lack is noticeable or significant.