infrequent implies occurrence at wide intervals in space or time.
infrequent family visits
uncommon suggests a frequency below normal expectation.
smallpox is now uncommon in many countries
scarce implies falling short of a standard or required abundance.
jobs were scarce during the Depression
rare suggests extreme scarcity or infrequency and often implies consequent high value.
rare first editions
sporadic implies occurrence in scattered instances or isolated outbursts.
sporadic cases of influenza
Example Sentences
Adjective Food was getting scarce during the drought. food was a bit scarce last winter Adverb I could scarce believe what I was hearing.
Recent Examples on the Web
Adjective
However, if patients don’t respond to these treatments, additional therapy options are scarce. Kaitlin Sullivan, NBC News, 10 Sep. 2022 Data on how much business and first class cabin bookings have increased is scarce, since most airlines keep such specifics confidential. Vivienne Walt, Fortune, 10 Sep. 2022 Folks on the narrow island bike to work because everything’s close, gas is expensive and parking is scarce. Andrew Van Dam, Washington Post, 9 Sep. 2022 The water industry knows how to address the neglect, and money is needed, but experience shows that leadership and workforce capacity go far even when money is scarce.WSJ, 9 Sep. 2022 Riney helped lead the five-hospital health system and its 33,000 employees through the coronavirus pandemic, diversifying Henry Ford’s supply chain problems when masks, gloves and gowns were scarce, and through staffing challenges. Kristen Jordan Shamus, Detroit Free Press, 8 Sep. 2022 The restaurant on Northlake Boulevard is a clam’s throw from the town of Westlake, Loxahatchee Groves, the Acreage and golf-and-country-club Ibis — a food desert where retail stores and restaurants are scarce. Phillip Valys, Sun Sentinel, 7 Sep. 2022 And auto makers and retailers enjoyed hefty profit margins when goods were scarce and Americans were spending robustly. Christopher Rugaber, ajc, 7 Sep. 2022 After World War I, jobs were scarce and income for many families in Kentucky was low.courier-journal.com, 6 Sep. 2022 See More
Word History
Etymology
Adjective
Middle English scars, from Anglo-French eschars, escars narrow, stingy, deficient, from Vulgar Latin *excarpsus, literally, plucked out, past participle of Latin excerpere to pluck out — more at excerpt