Scant Definition & Meaning

American

British

Other Word Forms

Etymology

Examples

Related Words

Synonyms scant American [skant] / skænt /

adjective

scanter, scantest

1. barely sufficient in amount or quantity; not abundant; almost inadequate.

   to do scant justice.

2. limited; meager; not large.

   a scant amount.

   Synonyms: restricted, small, scanty

3. barely amounting to as much as indicated.

   a scant two hours; a scant cupful.

4. having an inadequate or limited supply (usually followed byof ).

   scant of breath.

   Synonyms: deficient, wanting, lacking, short

verb (used with object)

1. to make scant; diminish.

   Synonyms: curtail, decrease, reduce, lessen

2. to stint the supply of; withhold.

   Synonyms: scrimp, skimp, restrict, limit

3. to treat slightly or inadequately.

   Synonyms: neglect, slight

adverb

1. Scot. and North England Dialect. scarcely; barely; hardly.

scant British / skænt /

adjective

1. scarcely sufficient; limited

   he paid her scant attention

2. (prenominal) slightly short of the amount indicated; bare

   a scant ten inches

3. having a short supply (of)

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

verb

1. to limit in size or quantity

2. to provide with a limited or inadequate supply of

3. to treat in a slighting or inadequate manner

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

adverb

1. scarcely; barely

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

• scantly adverb
• scantness noun

Etymology

Origin of scant

1325–75; Middle English (adj.) < Old Norse skamt, neuter of skammr short

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Bullock is painfully aware that, after a decade of flagging productivity growth and scant reforms to address the issue, the economy can no longer grow at the pace that it did a generation ago.

From The Wall Street Journal

Because there is such scant biographical information available, this is especially valuable and endearing.

From The Wall Street Journal

Outside, the Harbor City preschool reflected its industrial neighborhood: scant grass, little shade, amid a block of warehouses full of grinding machinery.

From Los Angeles Times

While details of the agreement made at the World Economic Forum in the Swiss ski resort of Davos remained scant, many Greenlanders, who fiercely defend their right to self-determination, were disappointed.

From Barron's

Unfortunately, Ms. Jacoby’s intriguing aural choices found scant counterpart in her choreography.

From The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• insufficient
• mere
• paltry
• scanty
• skimpy
• slight
• sparse

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.