What context can I use each word in?
Learn when and how to use these words with these examples!
scantiest
Example
The restaurant had the scantiest selection of vegetarian options. [scantiest: superlative adjective]
Example
The team had the scantiest budget for their project. [scantiest: superlative adjective]
sparse
Example
The forest was sparse with trees, making it easy to navigate. [sparse: adjective]
Example
The attendance at the concert was sparse due to the bad weather. [sparse: adjective]
Good things to know
Which word is more common?
Sparse is more commonly used than scantiest in everyday language. Sparse is versatile and covers a wide range of contexts, while scantiest is less common and tends to be used in more specific situations.
What’s the difference in the tone of formality between scantiest and sparse?
Both scantiest and sparse are relatively formal words that are appropriate for use in academic or professional contexts.