scant budget

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "scant budget" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to describe a budget that is insufficient or lacking in resources for a particular project or purpose. Example: "Due to our scant budget, we will need to prioritize essential expenses and cut back on non-essential items."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

15 human-written examples

That metaphor is apt for what Loden avoided when making the film on a scant budget, without stars, in 16mm.

The New Yorker

Jean-Luc Godard made "Breathless" under the aegis of a scuffling producer whose scant budget gave rise to Godard's distinctive methods.

The New Yorker

With a scant budget to overcome the misperception, Toolworks is exploring the possibility of licensing its technology, perhaps to another Baltimore tool company, Black & Decker.

The New York Times

Yet the movie's very straightforwardness was revolutionary: it proved that assiduous moviegoing could teach a young person with a scant budget and unheralded actors to make a smoothly professional movie.

The New Yorker

They are not pleasant company, for each other or the viewer, and the film — shot in black and white on a scant budget — is abrasive and sometimes ludicrously amateurish.

The New York Times

Cassavetes started his directing career with "Shadows," shot wildly on the streets of New York with a scant budget raised in large measure from listeners to Jean Shepherd's radio broadcast.

The New Yorker

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

45 human-written examples

And what's the artistic price of sketchy writing, scant budgeting, and rapid shooting?

The New Yorker

Working with scant budgets frees filmmakers to follow their strongest artistic impulses and allows their films to be distinctive, personal, original.

The New Yorker

"Youthquake," David Denby's piece in this week's magazine, about so-called "mumblecore" movies — made by young filmmakers on scant budgets, featuring themselves and their friends in stories that reflect the way they live — has struck a nerve.

The New Yorker

He worked with high budgets (including the very highest — for the sumptuous, notorious, and glorious 1963 spectacle "Cleopatra") and filmed many of the greatest stars of the era, whereas Hong works with scant budgets, filming rapidly on location, mainly with local actors.

The New Yorker

His stories are straightforward and simple, but they make contact with the most sensitive points of Chinese life, which he views with a quiet, stoic, almost ironic outrage — until his narratives burst forth with grand-scale catastrophes (filmed documentary-style, on scant budgets).

The New Yorker

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using the phrase "scant budget", ensure that the context clearly indicates what is being limited by the budget, and what consequences this limitation might have. This will help your audience understand the significance of the budget constraint.

Common error

Avoid exaggerating the impact of a "scant budget" without providing specific examples. Instead of saying "the project failed due to a scant budget", specify which aspects were compromised, such as "the project suffered delays and reduced scope due to a scant budget that limited access to resources and manpower."

Linguistic Context

The phrase "scant budget" functions as an adjective phrase modifying the noun "budget". It describes the budget, indicating that it is small, limited, or insufficient. As shown by Ludwig, it's a common way to express that something lacks enough funding.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

75%

Science

12%

Formal & Business

8%

Less common in

Wiki

2%

Encyclopedias

1%

Reference

1%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "scant budget" is a grammatically sound and generally accepted way to describe a limited financial resource, as validated by Ludwig AI. It's most commonly found in news and media, and scientific contexts. While the term is suitable for both formal and informal use, it is crucial to contextualize it with specific details to highlight the significance of the budgetary limitations. Remember to avoid overstating the impact without providing clear examples. Related phrases, such as "limited funds" or "tight budget", offer slight variations in emphasis.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

Limited funds

Replaces "budget" with the more general term "funds" and "scant" with "limited", indicating a restriction in financial resources.

Tight budget

Emphasizes the restrictive nature of the budget, suggesting careful management is required.

Meager resources

Shifts focus to the resources available, highlighting their inadequacy.

Insufficient funds

Directly states the lack of adequate financial resources.

Limited financial resources

More explicitly describes the nature of the limitation.

Restricted budget

Highlights the constraints placed on the budget.

Small amount of funding

Focuses on the quantity of funding, emphasizing its limited nature.

Bare bones budget

An idiomatic expression suggesting the budget is reduced to the absolute essentials.

Austerity budget

Suggests a budget characterized by strict economic measures and reductions in spending.

Inadequate financial plan

Replaces "budget" with a more strategic-oriented alternative and highlights the lack of adequacy of it.

FAQs

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

You can use "scant budget" to describe situations where financial resources are limited, such as, "The film was made on a "scant budget", requiring creative solutions to overcome resource limitations."

What are some alternatives to "scant budget"?

Alternatives include "limited funds", "tight budget", or "meager resources", depending on the specific nuance you want to convey.

Is "scant budget" formal or informal?

"Scant budget" can be used in both formal and informal contexts, although it is more common in news and media or business settings. The formality depends more on the surrounding language than the phrase itself.

What does it imply when someone says a project has a "scant budget"?

It implies that the project has very limited financial resources, potentially leading to compromises in quality, scope, or timeline. It suggests the need for resourcefulness and careful planning.