scant

This word carries a sense of deficiency that borders on insufficiency. It is often used to describe a lack of something that is necessary, creating a feeling of precariousness or neglect. It is more formal than saying something is just small or few, often appearing in literary or journalistic contexts to emphasize a critical shortage. When used as a verb, it suggests a deliberate or systemic failure to provide enough of a resource. This implies a level of stinginess or poor planning, shifting the focus from the state of the shortage to the act of causing it.