scarce of

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase 'scarce of' is not a correct part of a sentence in written English.
Instead, you would use the phrase 'scarcely any' or 'scarcely any of.' For example: "There is scarcely any of the food left."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

Science

News & Media

Academia

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

27 human-written examples

However, scarce of attentions were paid to this fundamental problem.

Applied Energy

But other sources of encouragement have been scarce of late (see article).

The Economist

In part, this is not his fault; reliable information on North Korea is scant at best, and accurate political intelligence the most scarce of all.

Princeton University

Goals have been scarce of late for Duncan Ferguson, Kevin Gallacher and Shearer, but it took only five minutes for Newcastle to take the lead.

The Guardian - Sport

But mobile phones are a barely affordable luxury for many in Iraq, so buying them would eat up the resources (already scarce) of the unions.

The Guardian - Opinion

Davao is the biggest city on the island of Mindanao, an area that is scarce of tourists due to the aforementioned Islamist insurgencies.

The Guardian - Travel

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

33 human-written examples

With his multiple-choice life, Strand seems that scarcest of things: a poet without an autobiography.

The New Yorker

And everyone – absolutely everyone – will be looking for that scarcest of commodities in India: a clean toilet.

The Guardian - Opinion

The M4, with four rotors, is the scarcest of all Enigma encryption machines and was used on naval submarines.

The Guardian

Akinola, whose own ministry started with the scarcest of resources, says the Americans have a clear choice.

The New Yorker

But the flap highlighted continuing gaps in toyland, with parents of Asian children and toy analysts saying that Asian dolls may be the scarcest of all.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Avoid using the phrase "scarce of" in formal writing. Opt for grammatically correct alternatives like "lacking in" or "devoid of" to maintain clarity and credibility.

Common error

A common mistake is using "of" after "scarce". Remember that "scarce" functions as an adjective, so it needs a different preposition or a revised sentence structure. Instead of "scarce of", consider "scarce in" or rewrite the sentence to use "scarcity of".

Linguistic Context

The phrase "scarce of" functions as an incorrect adjectival phrase attempting to describe a deficiency or lack. Ludwig AI suggests that this phrase is not a correct part of a sentence in written English.

Expression frequency: Missing

Frequent in

Science

0%

News & Media

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Formal & Business

0%

Less common in

Academia

0%

Encyclopedias

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Wiki

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Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "scarce of" is generally considered grammatically incorrect in standard English. While Ludwig's examples show its occasional appearance in various sources, it's not recommended for formal writing. Ludwig AI suggests using alternatives such as "lacking in", "devoid of", or rephrasing the sentence for better clarity and correctness. Always strive for precision in your writing by choosing grammatically sound and widely accepted alternatives.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

devoid of

Emphasizes a complete absence of something.

lacking in

Highlights the deficiency of a particular element.

short on

Suggests a limited quantity or supply.

in short supply of

Indicates that something is not readily available.

few and far between

Describes something that is rare and infrequent.

thin on the ground

Implies that something is scarce or difficult to find.

meager in

Suggests a small or insufficient amount.

limited quantity of

Directly states that the amount available is restricted.

inadequate amount of

Highlights that the amount is not enough to meet the need.

deficient in

Focuses on the lack of an essential quality or element.

FAQs

Is "scarce of" grammatically correct?

No, "scarce of" is generally considered grammatically incorrect in standard English. It's better to use alternatives like "devoid of" or "lacking in".

What's a better way to say something is "scarce of" a resource?

Instead of "scarce of", you can say the resource is "in short supply of" or that there's a "shortage of" the resource.

How can I avoid using "scarce of" in my writing?

Focus on using the adjective "scarce" correctly. For example, instead of "the region is scarce of water", say "water is scarce in the region" or "the region has a scarcity of water".

Which is correct: "scarce of" or "scarce in"?

While "scarce of" is generally discouraged, "scarce in" is sometimes acceptable depending on the context, but rewriting is often preferable. Better options include "deficient in" or rephrasing to use "scarcity of".