Sparse
mediumSPARS
adjective
Definition
Thinly dispersed or scattered; not dense
Examples
“Vegetation was sparse in the desert landscape.”
“The audience was sparse at the early morning showing.”
Categories
GRE Tip
Sparse is a medium-difficulty GRE word. On the GRE, you might see it paired with synonyms like "scarce" or "meager" in Sentence Equivalence questions. Look for contrast clues (however, despite, although) that signal the opposite meaning. Words like "dense".
Related GRE Words
scant
Barely sufficient or adequate
paltry
Small or meager; of little value or importance
sporadic
Occurring at irregular intervals or only in a few places; scattered or isolated
fragmented
Broken or separated into distinct parts; lacking unity
insufficient
Not enough; inadequate
meager
Lacking in quantity or quality; insufficient
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