plural rarities
1
: the quality, state, or fact of being rare
2
: one that is rare
Synonyms
Examples of rarity in a Sentence
In most sports, athletes over the age of 50 are rarities.
Snow is a rarity in this part of the world.
He is selling most of his collection, keeping only the real rarities.
The rarity of the disease makes it difficult to diagnose.
Recent Examples on the Web
For movies from a director like Nolan, who only shoots on film, Imax finds experts who can still operate the few dedicated projectors that use old-school film stock, a rarity in a mostly digital business.
—
Rebecca Rubin, Variety, 4 Apr. 2024
Cohen explained his thinking in his first interview with CNBC, a rarity given his relative press-shyness.
—Tori Latham, Robb Report, 3 Apr. 2024
But the excitement of finally getting outside, the relative rarity of an invitation from Kadin, plus my other narrow escapes pushed out any seed of doubt.
—Maggie Slepian, Longreads, 2 Apr. 2024
That’s because most news journalists don’t understand enough about total solar eclipses to convey their rarity and brilliance.
—Jamie Carter, Forbes, 30 Mar. 2024
The anticipation surrounding this particular celestial event stems from its rarity and spectacle, as well as the opportunities for scientific study and public engagement.
—The Arizona Republic, 27 Mar. 2024
The artists who contributed to Noise for Now Vol. 2 largely shared a mix of demos and live tracks, with a couple of covers and other rarities thrown in for good measure.
—Jon Blistein, Rolling Stone, 26 Mar. 2024
But even with their experience and close partnership — a rarity in the retail industry — Hardman and Dugan still face an uphill battle.
—Jeannette Neumann, Fortune, 20 Mar. 2024
Diggle is a guitar hero of the first order, which is a real rarity in a genre that came into being at least partly in reaction against the bloated guitar antics of the top rockers of the ’70s.
—Jim Harrington, The Mercury News, 15 Mar. 2024
Rebecca Rubin, Variety, 4 Apr. 2024
Cohen explained his thinking in his first interview with CNBC, a rarity given his relative press-shyness.
—Tori Latham, Robb Report, 3 Apr. 2024
But the excitement of finally getting outside, the relative rarity of an invitation from Kadin, plus my other narrow escapes pushed out any seed of doubt.
—Maggie Slepian, Longreads, 2 Apr. 2024
That’s because most news journalists don’t understand enough about total solar eclipses to convey their rarity and brilliance.
—Jamie Carter, Forbes, 30 Mar. 2024
The anticipation surrounding this particular celestial event stems from its rarity and spectacle, as well as the opportunities for scientific study and public engagement.
—The Arizona Republic, 27 Mar. 2024
The artists who contributed to Noise for Now Vol. 2 largely shared a mix of demos and live tracks, with a couple of covers and other rarities thrown in for good measure.
—Jon Blistein, Rolling Stone, 26 Mar. 2024
But even with their experience and close partnership — a rarity in the retail industry — Hardman and Dugan still face an uphill battle.
—Jeannette Neumann, Fortune, 20 Mar. 2024
Diggle is a guitar hero of the first order, which is a real rarity in a genre that came into being at least partly in reaction against the bloated guitar antics of the top rockers of the ’70s.
—Jim Harrington, The Mercury News, 15 Mar. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'rarity.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
First Known Use
1542, in the meaning defined at sense 1
Dictionary Entries Near rarity
Cite this Entry
“Rarity.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/rarity. Accessed 19 Apr. 2024.
Copy Citation
Kids Definition
rarity
noun
rar·i·ty
ˈrar-ət-ē 
ˈrer-
plural rarities
1
: the quality, state, or fact of being rare
2
: someone or something rare
More from Merriam-Webster on rarity
Nglish: Translation of rarity for Spanish Speakers
Britannica English: Translation of rarity for Arabic Speakers
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