1
as in to scant
to use or give out in stingy amounts
I'll have a banana split—and don't spare the whipped cream
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to save
to avoid unnecessary waste or expense
she had grown up during the Great Depression, so she was no stranger to sparing
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in extra
being over what is needed
I had some spare time to kill, so I cleaned up my cubicle a bit
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2
as in careful
giving or sharing as little as possible
a man who is kind and gentle but definitely spare of speech
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3
as in thin
having a noticeably small amount of body fat
a tall, spare man
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4
as in scarce
less plentiful than what is normal, necessary, or desirable
spare vegetation that made foraging very difficult
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as in backup
an interchangeable part or piece of equipment that is kept on hand for replacement of an original
we promptly replaced the burnt-out lightbulb with a spare
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of spare
Sonari Glinton, Forbes.com, 16 June 2025
Boelter allegedly showed up to their doors in the middle of the night impersonating a police officer and wearing a realistic-looking mask, officials said, noting that two other lawmakers were spared the night of the shootings.
—Kevin Shalvey, ABC News, 16 June 2025
Ludovic Righetti, IEEE Spectrum, 10 June 2025
But the alternative was even more unsettling: filling the position with spare parts before making a desperate trade at the deadline, a strategy that has not worked the past few years.
—Troy Renck, Denver Post, 4 June 2025
New Atlas, 24 Mar. 2025
Because their visitors were man-for-man, whoever pressed Ederson would leave a player spare.
—Liam Tharme, The Athletic, 16 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for spare
Verb
Even celebrities who can have access to drivers, car shares, and the best safety tech aren't spared.
—Sonari Glinton, Forbes.com, 16 June 2025
Boelter allegedly showed up to their doors in the middle of the night impersonating a police officer and wearing a realistic-looking mask, officials said, noting that two other lawmakers were spared the night of the shootings.
—Kevin Shalvey, ABC News, 16 June 2025
Adjective
Their creativity has been made possible through the affordability of commercial drones, spare parts, 3D printers, and the availability of open-source software and hardware.
—Ludovic Righetti, IEEE Spectrum, 10 June 2025
But the alternative was even more unsettling: filling the position with spare parts before making a desperate trade at the deadline, a strategy that has not worked the past few years.
—Troy Renck, Denver Post, 4 June 2025
Noun
There's also a stock of parts and spares, and a follow-up list of inventory in third-party warehouses that has had its value cut by 65% for the purpose of liquidation.
—New Atlas, 24 Mar. 2025
Because their visitors were man-for-man, whoever pressed Ederson would leave a player spare.
—Liam Tharme, The Athletic, 16 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for spare
Recent Examples of Synonyms for spare
Verb
-
By scanting this complexity, Remnick leaves readers with a less than totally satisfying depiction of Obama's encounter with the world of black Chicago.—
Walter Russell Mead,
Foreign Affairs,
1 July 2010
-
Trump captured attention his first time around, in part, by talking about issues that other candidates scanted: the threat of China, chaos at the southern border.—
NR Editors,
National Review,
22 Dec. 2023
Verb
-
Sabalenka, one of the favorites to lift the Wimbledon title this year, had saved four match points in a tiebreak to escape 2022 champion Elena Rybakina the previous day, one of them coming via a fortunate net cord.—
James Hansen,
New York Times,
21 June 2025
-
But, as President Zelensky noted at the G7 summit, additional funding from allies to speed the development and production process could save a lot of lives.—
David Hambling,
Forbes.com,
20 June 2025
Adjective
-
Drivers are urged to slow down and use extra caution to avoid hydroplaning.—
NC Weather Bot,
Charlotte Observer,
14 June 2025
-
Most cool-season crops carried through the summer will need extra protection to resist scalding or bolting.—
Anthony Reardon,
Kansas City Star,
13 June 2025
Adjective
-
However, be careful of blurring the distinction between professional and personal relationships.—
Georgia Nicols,
Denver Post,
19 June 2025
-
For most, wealth results from years of hard work, careful planning, and disciplined saving.—
Georgette Virgo,
USA Today,
19 June 2025
Adjective
-
The water pressure then causes the vehicle to rise and slide on a thin layer of water between the tires and the road, making the driver lose control.—
NC Weather Bot,
Charlotte Observer,
18 June 2025
-
There is some thought that Epenesa could be an expendable player via trade ahead of final cuts, but that would leave them fairly thin given that Hoecht is suspended for the first six games and Bosa has a lengthy injury history, and already has one minor injury to his name since joining the Bills.—
Joe Buscaglia,
New York Times,
18 June 2025
Adjective
-
High-Potential, Untapped Markets I’m inspired by what others ignore—those quiet gaps where attention is scarce but potential is high, like a niche market with growing demand but little innovation.—
Expert Panel®,
Forbes.com,
20 June 2025
-
Evidence for the exact state of health of prehistoric humans is scarce.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
12 June 2025
Noun
-
If Richardson isn’t available, the Colts may consider adding another veteran QB, especially with rookie Riley Leonard serving as the team’s backup.—
James Boyd,
New York Times,
13 June 2025
-
Returnees Elijah Campbell, who had a pick-six on Tuesday, Patrick McMorris and Jordan Colbert, and rookie Dante Trader Jr., who also had a pick-six Tuesday, have mostly been working as backups with Davis and Melinfonwu working primarily as the starters.—
Chris Perkins,
Sun Sentinel,
11 June 2025
Verb
-
Or perhaps, given his age and the need to conserve his minutes somewhat during the regular season, the Leafs could opt to use him in a more depth role.—
Jonas Siegel,
New York Times,
19 June 2025
-
This level of automation conserves resources, boosts accuracy and speed, facilitates early defect detection and improves platform quality, enhancing the customer experience.—
Prasad Banala,
Forbes.com,
17 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Spare.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/spare. Accessed 26 Jun. 2025.
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