Shortage and Scarcity

Answer 1

The word scarcity means that something is hard to obtain. For example, one might see, 'In World War 2 there was a scarcity of photographic film in Britain'. Shortage is more commonly used of essentials, especially food.

Answer 2

The term scarcity means a dearth or lack of supply of an item, whereas shortage only indicates that the demand exceeds or will exceed the supply. (Shortage can also indicate a shortfall in production compared to a quota or target amount.)

Answer 3

Water shortage would be: There is water but not enough for everyone to use it freely. People would have to cut back or the water would become scare or run out.

Water Scarcity would be: There is almost no water and people will die from lack of water. In the desert there is water scarcity.

Answer 4

While they are technically synonymous, there are different connotations. A shortage suggests that there was once enough of something, but now there is not. Scarcity implies rareness in general.

Answer 5

Shortage - high demand of product with low prices. (i.e. Macbook Pro for 100 bucks)

Scarcity - unlimited wants but limited resources (i.e. Produce paper but less trees)