scant audience

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "scant audience" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to describe a very small or insufficient number of people attending an event or performance. Example: "The play was well-rehearsed, but unfortunately, it attracted a scant audience on opening night."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

3 human-written examples

But before this calm tableau was a scant audience; double or triple their number had taken to the street outside.

The New York Times

She even manages to appear beside him on the air, joining the scant audience for one broadcast and rushing the stage when he calls for a volunteer.

The New Yorker

Pre-gaming -- there's no sense that the scant audience was out for flesh or blood -- but more of a general curiosity of what the stained foam mats are for, what time the fun gets under way and should they risk trying the bacon martini?

Huffington Post

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

57 human-written examples

He is struggling to make himself noticed, speaking before scant audiences and daring reporters to write about him.

The Guardian

"Goodbye to Language" is the work of a director whose name is canonical but whose recent work has received intense, even passionate acclaim from a relatively small number of writers and attracted relatively scant audiences.

The New Yorker

The workshop was an early champion of Beckett, whose "Waiting for Godot," in which two tramps wait for a man who never appears, had been produced in Florida and New York to scant critical and audience approval.

The New York Times

But the physicists' work will be scant help to audiences maddened by the noise.

The New York Times

Pointless musical interludes are peppered throughout, perhaps to bulk out the flimsy narrative (though the film runs a scant 87 minutes, audiences are unlikely to be begging for more).

The Guardian - Film

Soon afterward, a spate of popular biographies conveyed to a wide audience the scant facts of Shakespeare's life — largely derived from surviving financial records and legal proceedings — without making clear that it would be strange to see much else survive from the 16th century.

The New York Times - Books

But if just a small fraction of them tune on a regular basis during the day, that will be enough to lift the channel's scant viewership among the audience of 25-to-54-year-old 25-to-54-year-old 25-to-54-year-old 25-to-54-year-old 25-to-54-year-old

Los Angeles Times

He seems to have had scant regard for French audiences and remarked: "I hope that even these idiots will find something in it to like".

The Guardian - Music

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "scant audience", consider the context and whether a more common synonym like "small audience" would be clearer and more accessible to your audience. Reserve "scant" for situations where you want to add a touch of formality or emphasize the inadequacy of the attendance.

Common error

Avoid using "scant audience" in overly casual or informal writing. The word "scant" can sound stilted or pretentious in everyday conversation or informal content. Opt for simpler terms like "small" or "few" for better clarity and tone.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "scant audience" functions as a noun phrase where the adjective "scant" modifies the noun "audience". It serves to describe the quantity or size of the audience, indicating that it is small or insufficient. Ludwig confirms the grammatical correctness of this usage.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

100%

Less common in

Science

0%

Formal & Business

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "scant audience" is a grammatically correct and understandable way to describe a small or inadequate number of attendees at an event. While Ludwig confirms its correctness, its usage is relatively rare, and it tends to appear in more formal contexts such as news articles. Simpler alternatives like "small audience" are often preferred for clarity and accessibility, especially in informal settings. When using "scant audience", be mindful of your audience and the overall tone of your writing to ensure it fits appropriately.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

small audience

Replaces "scant" with a more common synonym, maintaining the core meaning.

limited audience

Emphasizes the restricted size of the audience.

thin audience

Uses a different adjective to describe the sparse nature of the audience.

meager audience

Implies the audience is not only small but also inadequate.

sparse audience

Highlights the widely spaced or thinly distributed nature of the audience.

poorly attended

Focuses on the lack of attendance rather than the audience itself.

underattended

Similar to "poorly attended", emphasizing the insufficient number of attendees.

small turnout

Shifts the focus to the event's attendance numbers rather than the audience.

limited attendance

Highlights the restricted number of people present.

minimal attendance

Emphasizes the bare minimum number of people present.

FAQs

What does "scant audience" mean?

The phrase "scant audience" means a very small or inadequate number of people present at an event or performance, implying a lack of attendance.

What can I say instead of "scant audience"?

You can use alternatives like "small audience", "limited audience", or "thin audience" to convey a similar meaning.

Is "scant audience" formal or informal?

"Scant audience" is considered a more formal way of saying "small audience". It's suitable for news articles or formal reports.

How do I use "scant audience" in a sentence?

You can use "scant audience" to describe situations where attendance is low, such as: "Despite the positive reviews, the play was performed before a "scant audience"".