sparsely

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "sparsely" is correct and usable in written English.
It is typically used to describe something that is thinly dispersed or not densely populated, such as vegetation or people in a given area. Example: "The forest was sparsely populated with trees, allowing sunlight to filter through the open spaces."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Travel

Politics

Economics

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

As a result, it discovered that Norway had to abandon an employment tax-deduction system that had worked well for sparsely populated areas in the north, resulting in negative effects on businesses which suddenly found themselves with much higher costs.

The Guardian

Above all, suspicion remains that HS2 will be, to borrow a phrase from one ex-transport secretary, a rich man's toy: trains sparsely populated by businessmen whizzing blithely through the estates – council and country – of people who will never use it.

The Guardian

Attlee was persuaded to elevate him to the peerage, and bring to Labour's sparsely populated Lords benches a youthful thinker who had been Sir William Beveridge's right-hand man on his landmark welfare state report.

The Guardian

One of the few to remain is the Iglesia San Francisco, its uneven floors and walls and sparsely decorated chapel belying the effort behind its construction, its quiet gloom a testimony to the might of the city's founder, Pedro de Valdivia.

The Guardian - Travel

Not strictly a freshers week issue – I mean, come on, you've only just met, and contrary to grumpy belief, university isn't just lectures sparsely punctuating epic sex marathons – but it would have been great if someone had mentioned the "pee after sex" rule before the massive cystitis outbreak in our college dorm.

The Guardian

Separately, rural councils claimed they were disproportionately hit by the cuts, which did not recognise the extra costs of running services across big, sparsely populated areas.

The Guardian

If these people don't think like a Christian or attend church like a Christian, in what sense are they Christian?" While church attendance is in decline overall, recent research found 18% of churches are actually growing and where this is the case, the loss of a few tiny churches in sparsely populated villages may take on another character.

The Guardian

But nobody comes here for luxury and you must be prepared to live sparsely.

The Guardian - Travel

It was our second day on Jura - a wild and sparsely populated island in the Inner Hebrides.

The Guardian - Travel

Henoko is sparsely populated, in contrast to Futenma.

The Economist

That looks unlikely, in part because many of the races are in small or sparsely populated states that Mr Bush won in 2000.The Democrats have a better chance of holding on to the Senate.

The Economist

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When describing population density, use "sparsely" to emphasize the limited number of inhabitants per area. For instance, "The region is sparsely populated, with only a few settlements." This adds a descriptive element that's often more evocative than simply stating the population number.

Common error

Avoid using "sparsely" when you actually mean "sparsely populated" to describe an area, or "sparingly" when referring to using something in small quantities. "Sparsely" on its own often needs context to avoid ambiguity.

Linguistic Context

The primary grammatical function of "sparsely" is as an adverb. It modifies verbs, adjectives, or other adverbs to describe the manner in which something is distributed or present. As Ludwig AI confirms, it describes something that is thinly dispersed or not densely populated.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

45%

Formal & Business

20%

Travel

15%

Less common in

Science

10%

Encyclopedias

5%

Wiki

5%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the adverb "sparsely" describes a state of being thinly distributed or infrequent. As Ludwig AI has confirmed, the phrase is correct and usable in written English. With a "Very common" frequency, it frequently appears in news, travel, and formal business contexts to describe areas, objects, or events with low density. When writing, remember to consider the potential for ambiguity and ensure the context makes it clear you are emphasizing low density or infrequent occurence. Overall, "sparsely" is a reliable descriptor in formal and neutral registers.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

thinly

Refers to something spread out with considerable space between elements, similar to "sparsely".

scattered

Describes a distribution with elements spread irregularly and not densely packed, much like "sparsely".

scantily

Implies a lack of abundance or completeness, similar to "sparsely" in terms of quantity.

widely spaced

Emphasizes the large distance between elements, conveying a sense of low density like "sparsely".

infrequently

Indicates something that occurs rarely, which relates to "sparsely" when referring to events or occurrences.

rarely

Highlights the uncommon nature of something, akin to "sparsely" when denoting infrequent presence.

meagerly

Indicates a small or insufficient amount, comparable to "sparsely" in terms of quantity or provision.

deficiently

Points out a lack or inadequacy, similar to "sparsely" when describing insufficient distribution.

inadequately

Highlights the insufficient quality or quantity of something, similar to "sparsely" in describing a limited presence.

lightly

Indicates a minimal or gentle presence, similar to "sparsely" in terms of density or impact.

FAQs

How can I use "sparsely" in a sentence?

"Sparsely" is used to indicate that something is thinly distributed or not dense. For example, "The forest was "sparsely populated" with trees", or "The room was "sparsely furnished"".

What's a good synonym for "sparsely"?

Depending on the context, you could use words like "thinly", "scantily", or "infrequently" as alternatives to "sparsely". For example, instead of "sparsely decorated", you might say "thinly decorated".

Is it correct to say "sparsely populated" or should I use another term?

"Sparsely populated" is a correct and common phrase to describe an area with a low population density. Alternatives include "thinly populated" or "underpopulated", but "sparsely populated" is widely accepted.

What is the difference between "sparsely" and "sparingly"?

"Sparsely" describes the distribution or density of something, while "sparingly" refers to using something in small or controlled amounts. For example, a room might be "sparsely furnished" (few items), while one might use resources "sparingly" (in a controlled way).