Shy and Sparse

Shy

Shy adjective - Not coming up to an expected measure or meeting a particular need.
Usage example: the team is shy a couple of players because of illness

Sparse and shy are semantically related. In some cases you can use "Sparse" instead an adjective "Shy".

Nearby Words: shying, shyness, shyly, shyer

Sparse

Sparse adjective - Less plentiful than what is normal, necessary, or desirable.

Shy and sparse are semantically related. Sometimes you can use "Shy" instead an adjective "Sparse".

Nearby Word: sparsely
Cite this Source
Sparse and Shy. (2016). Retrieved 2026, August 14, from https://thesaurus.plus/related/shy/sparse
Shy & Sparse. N.p., 2016. Web. 14 Aug. 2026. <https://thesaurus.plus/related/shy/sparse>.
Sparse or Shy. 2016. Accessed August 14, 2026. https://thesaurus.plus/related/shy/sparse.
Google Ngram Viewer shows how "shy" and "sparse" have occurred on timeline