sparring partner
noun
1
: someone who helps a boxer practice : someone a boxer spars with for training
2
: a person that someone has serious but friendly arguments with
They have been political sparring partners for years.
Examples of sparring partner in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Gilmore, it should be noted, was hardly Edelman’s only sparring partner in those days.
—
Andrew Callahan, Boston Herald, 20 Sep. 2025
They’re not supposed to pay a sparring partner $1.2 million to come and beat them up 35-10 at the Rose Bowl, like the Lobos – 15.5-point underdogs coming in – did Friday night.
—Mirjam Swanson, Oc Register, 13 Sep. 2025
OpenAI Sam Altman was also there, but his online sparring partner, Elon Musk, did not get an invite, The Hill reports.
—PC Magazine, 5 Sep. 2025
Jimmy, one of the lightest heavyweight champions ever, was a sparring partner with Muhammad Ali.
—Kyle Newman, Denver Post, 30 Aug. 2025
But when Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Russian President Vladimir Putin, and Chinese leader Xi Jinping join other heads of state in Tianjin for the 25th summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), absent will be American sparring partner President Donald Trump.
—Ivan Watson, CNN Money, 29 Aug. 2025
Younger by a year and a half, Rahaman Ali gave up his own boxing career to become a chauffeur, sparring partner, gofer, chef and right-hand man for older brother Muhammad.
—Keely Doll, Louisville Courier Journal, 16 Aug. 2025
Erica’s turned him into a sparring partner, but Beto develops other interests over the course of the episode.
—Keith Phipps, Vulture, 24 July 2025
Needless to say, Charleson ultimately made the role of Monica her own and formed a supercouple with the late Stuart Damon, who played her better half/sparring partner, hotheaded fellow doctor Alan Quartermaine.
—Charlie Mason, TVLine, 12 Jan. 2025
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Andrew Callahan, Boston Herald, 20 Sep. 2025
They’re not supposed to pay a sparring partner $1.2 million to come and beat them up 35-10 at the Rose Bowl, like the Lobos – 15.5-point underdogs coming in – did Friday night.
—Mirjam Swanson, Oc Register, 13 Sep. 2025
OpenAI Sam Altman was also there, but his online sparring partner, Elon Musk, did not get an invite, The Hill reports.
—PC Magazine, 5 Sep. 2025
Jimmy, one of the lightest heavyweight champions ever, was a sparring partner with Muhammad Ali.
—Kyle Newman, Denver Post, 30 Aug. 2025
But when Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Russian President Vladimir Putin, and Chinese leader Xi Jinping join other heads of state in Tianjin for the 25th summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), absent will be American sparring partner President Donald Trump.
—Ivan Watson, CNN Money, 29 Aug. 2025
Younger by a year and a half, Rahaman Ali gave up his own boxing career to become a chauffeur, sparring partner, gofer, chef and right-hand man for older brother Muhammad.
—Keely Doll, Louisville Courier Journal, 16 Aug. 2025
Erica’s turned him into a sparring partner, but Beto develops other interests over the course of the episode.
—Keith Phipps, Vulture, 24 July 2025
Needless to say, Charleson ultimately made the role of Monica her own and formed a supercouple with the late Stuart Damon, who played her better half/sparring partner, hotheaded fellow doctor Alan Quartermaine.
—Charlie Mason, TVLine, 12 Jan. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Sparring partner.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sparring%20partner. Accessed 31 Oct. 2025.
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