Synonyms of sparing

sparing 1 of 2

adjective

1

as in economical

careful in the management of money or resources

a sparing couple who are trying to save up enough for a house

Synonyms & Similar Words

• economical
• saving
• economizing
• conserving
• prudent
• preserving
• provident
• thrifty
• frugal
• scrimping
• cheap
• spare
• pinching
• close
• foresighted
• forehanded
• parsimonious
• miserly
• stingy
• mean
• penny-wise
• tight
• tightfisted
• foresightful
• stinting
• penurious
• niggardly
• penny-pinching
• closefisted
• niggard

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• wasteful
• profligate
• prodigal
• spendthrift
• unthrifty
• generous
• squandering
• improvident
• shortsighted
• liberal
• charitable
• bountiful
• unselfish
• munificent
• unsparing
• thriftless
• lavish
• extravagant
• indulgent
• openhanded
• freehanded

2

as in careful

giving or sharing as little as possible

a government agency that has always been sparing of public information

Synonyms & Similar Words

• careful
• close
• spare
• pinching
• selfish
• desirous
• tight
• parsimonious
• conserving
• miserly
• greedy
• mean
• saving
• stingy
• cheap
• ungenerous
• tightfisted
• economical
• stinting
• penurious
• uncharitable
• niggardly
• small
• penny-pinching
• chintzy
• mingy
• economizing
• pinchpenny
• closefisted
• niggard
• chary
• thrifty
• frugal
• grudging
• hoggish
• skimping
• grasping
• mercenary
• avaricious
• covetous
• begrudging
• envious
• avid
• sordid
• scrimping
• acquisitive
• rapacious
• shabby
• resentful
• coveting
• itchy
• inhospitable

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• generous
• liberal
• bountiful
• charitable
• unstinting
• bounteous
• unsparing
• munificent
• openhanded
• free
• selfless
• unselfish
• altruistic
• lavish
• extravagant
• handsome
• profuse
• benevolent
• overgenerous
• hospitable
• humanitarian
• beneficent
• freehanded
• philanthropic
• kindly
• magnanimous
• compassionate
• wasting
• philanthropical
• wasteful
• openhearted
• profligate
• unthrifty
• prodigal
• dissipating
• spendthrift
• good-hearted
• squandering
• greathearted
• thriftless
• frittering
• splurging

3

as in sparse

less plentiful than what is normal, necessary, or desirable

unfortunately, the explanation of the health insurance plan was somewhat sparing on details

Synonyms & Similar Words

• sparse
• scarce
• poor
• spare
• scant
• scanty
• meager
• lowest
• meagre
• lacking
• stingy
• small
• skimpy
• light
• insufficient
• mere
• short
• slender
• inadequate
• minimal
• thin on the ground
• skimp
• exiguous
• hand-to-mouth
• niggardly
• slim
• least
• deficient
• wanting
• slightest
• thin
• littlest
• bare-bones
• bare
• slight
• sterile
• unfruitful
• unproductive
• barren
• infertile

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• sufficient
• ample
• adequate
• abundant
• generous
• enough
• copious
• liberal
• satisfactory
• plentiful
• bountiful
• rich
• tolerable
• fruitful
• fertile
• fat
• plenteous
• prolific
• extra
• lavish
• excess
• bursting
• luxuriant
• flourishing
• fecund
• thriving
• surplus
• proliferative
• teeming
• swarming
• blooming

sparing

2 of 2

verb

present participle of spare

1

as in conserving

to use or give out in stingy amounts

I'll have a banana split—and don't spare the whipped cream

Synonyms & Similar Words

• conserving
• preserving
• skimping (on)
• scanting
• nursing
• stinting (on)
• shortchanging
• pinching
• doling out
• meting (out)
• rationing (out)
• portioning (out)

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• pouring
• showering
• raining
• heaping
• lavishing

2

as in saving

to avoid unnecessary waste or expense

she had grown up during the Great Depression, so she was no stranger to sparing

Synonyms & Similar Words

• saving
• conserving
• economizing
• managing
• preserving
• skimping
• scrimping
• pinching
• scraping
• maintaining
• pinching pennies
• husbanding
• cutting down
• hoarding
• cutting back
• retrenching
• laying up

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• wasting
• spending
• blowing
• squandering
• lavishing
• dissipating
• running through
• throwing away
• frittering (away)
• misspending
• splurging

Synonym Chooser

How is the word sparing distinct from other similar adjectives?

Some common synonyms of sparing are economical, frugal, and thrifty. While all these words mean "careful in the use of one's money or resources," sparing stresses abstention and restraint.

sparing in the offering of advice

When might economical be a better fit than sparing?

Although the words economical and sparing have much in common, economical stresses prudent management, lack of wastefulness, and use of things to their best advantage.

an economical health-care plan

When can frugal be used instead of sparing?

In some situations, the words frugal and sparing are roughly equivalent. However, frugal implies absence of luxury and simplicity of lifestyle.

ran a frugal household

Where would thrifty be a reasonable alternative to sparing?

While in some cases nearly identical to sparing, thrifty stresses good management and industry.

thrifty use of nonrenewable resources