What context can I use each word in?
Learn when and how to use these words with these examples!
meagre
Example
The family's income was meagre, barely enough to cover their basic needs. [meagre: adjective]
Example
The restaurant offered a meagre selection of vegetarian dishes. [meagre: adjective]
sparse
Example
The forest was sparse, with only a few trees scattered here and there. [sparse: adjective]
Example
The attendance at the concert was sparse, with only a handful of people in the audience. [sparse: adjective]
Good things to know
Which word is more common?
Sparse is more commonly used than meagre in everyday language. Sparse is versatile and covers a wide range of contexts, while meagre is less common and often used in specific contexts.
What’s the difference in the tone of formality between meagre and sparse?
Both meagre and sparse are formal words that are appropriate for use in academic or professional writing. However, meagre may be considered slightly more formal than sparse due to its less frequent usage in everyday language.
