Definition
Sparse describes things thinly spread — few in number and far apart, with more empty space than substance between them. From the Latin sparsus, 'scattered,' it is the opposite of dense: sparse hair, a sparse crowd, sparse vegetation on a dry plain. It can also describe information or detail that is meagre, as in 'the evidence was sparse.' The word draws attention to the gaps as much as to the things; what is sparse is defined by how much of it is missing.
Examples
- Only a few hardy shrubs grew on the sparse, wind-scoured slope.
- The conclusions rested on data so sparse that a careful reviewer could refute them outright.
- Traffic was sparse at dawn, the wide road almost empty.
Collocations
sparse vegetation·sparse data·sparsely populated·a sparse crowd·sparse detail
Synonyms
scattered·thin·scanty·meagre·scarce
Antonyms
dense·abundant·crowded
Word family
sparsely (adverb)·sparseness (noun)·sparsity (noun)
In TOEFL & IELTS
Precise academic vocabulary for distribution and quantity — 'sparsely populated regions' is almost a set phrase in IELTS geography and TOEFL ecology texts. Use it for data, vegetation, population, detail. The adverb sparsely is especially natural before populated / distributed. Don't confuse sparse (thinly spread) with scarce (in short supply): a thing can be widely available yet sparse in any one place.