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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Recent Examples of spare
Bennett Conlin, Baltimore Sun, 15 Aug. 2025
No one is spared the agony of the search or the disappointment of their find.
—Nicholas Pileggi, Curbed, 15 Aug. 2025
Clara McMahon, People.com, 5 Aug. 2025
Along with a cooler packed with ice and cold drinks, toss in your condiment bottles (or even spare packets from takeout) in case anyone needs to sauce up their snacks.
—Andrea Beck, Better Homes & Gardens, 2 Aug. 2025
Mark Phelan, USA Today, 7 Apr. 2025
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
See All Example Sentences for spare
Verb
Despite being in Maryland, Ogden wasn’t spared from interacting with Steelers fans.
—Bennett Conlin, Baltimore Sun, 15 Aug. 2025
No one is spared the agony of the search or the disappointment of their find.
—Nicholas Pileggi, Curbed, 15 Aug. 2025
Adjective
It’s covered in faux leather and has a super spacious interior pocket to store books, cosmetics bags, spare jackets, and more, according to the brand.
—Clara McMahon, People.com, 5 Aug. 2025
Along with a cooler packed with ice and cold drinks, toss in your condiment bottles (or even spare packets from takeout) in case anyone needs to sauce up their snacks.
—Andrea Beck, Better Homes & Gardens, 2 Aug. 2025
Noun
There’s plenty of head room in both rows of seats and a spacious cargo compartment that offers features including a rubber mat, dog-friendly package and a neat underfloor compartment that creates space for a full-size spare — something serious off-roaders demand.
—Mark Phelan, USA Today, 7 Apr. 2025
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
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
-
Indiana’s efforts to save the squirrel The Indiana Department of Natural Resources is partnering with Purdue Fort Wayne and others to restore Franklin’s ground squirrel populations, said DNR’s Wildlife Research Supervisor Theresa Bordenkecher.—
Karl Schneider,
IndyStar,
21 Aug. 2025
-
In the scene, a negotiation over lunch to swap dancers between a Paris and a New York ballet company, in an attempt to save their institutions, is interspersed with a series of flash cuts to the individual performers onstage.—
Beatrice Verhoeven,
HollywoodReporter,
20 Aug. 2025
Adjective
-
The evolving answers and the extra attention has kept a notable spotlight on Gallego, whose 2024 Senate win in a state President Donald Trump won handily has given him an outsized platform about how Democrats can compete moving forward.—
Ronald J. Hansen,
AZCentral.com,
25 Aug. 2025
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But, for players like two-time Super Bowl champion Malcolm Jenkins, being able to win football’s biggest prize for the city of New Orleans was like an extra badge of honor.—
Jamie Barton,
CNN Money,
24 Aug. 2025
Adjective
-
Navigating this revolution responsibly requires careful policy, support for adaptation and a focus on using technology to benefit people.—
Vaibhav Dani,
Forbes.com,
18 Aug. 2025
-
As temperatures eclipsed 95 degrees in Kansas City, the Royals took careful precautions to contend with the heat advisory.—
Kansas City Star,
Kansas City Star,
17 Aug. 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,
17 Aug. 2025
-
Details on the election process are thin, but many citizens could be casting their votes in an active conflict zone or under the eyes of armed soldiers – a terrifying prospect that some say could lead to more violence.—
Helen Regan,
CNN Money,
17 Aug. 2025
Adjective
-
Unfortunately, records are scarce due to the truck’s age.—
Erik S. Hanley,
jsonline.com,
18 Aug. 2025
-
Firms were willing to incur resources to bring new graduates up the learning curve when software labor was scarce.—
Shivaram Rajgopal,
Forbes.com,
17 Aug. 2025
Noun
-
As a backup, Winston would be well worth the pursuit for Las Vegas.—
Evan Massey,
MSNBC Newsweek,
25 Aug. 2025
-
Wentz, 32, played backup behind Patrick Mahomes with the Kansas City Chiefs last season, throwing for 118 yards and zero touchdowns in three games (one start).—
The Athletic NFL Staff,
New York Times,
24 Aug. 2025
Verb
-
Congress decided to make daylight saving time permanent for two years from 1973 to 1975, extending the hours of daily sunlight year-round to conserve energy during the oil embargo crisis.—
Haadiza Ogwude,
The Enquirer,
14 Aug. 2025
-
Blood vessels in the brain constrict to conserve fluids, causing dull, throbbing headache pain, typically in the front or back of the head.6 Low sodium levels (hyponatremia) and low potassium levels (hypokalemia) can both disrupt the flow of blood to the brain, contributing to headaches.78 4.—
MD Published,
Verywell Health,
10 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Spare.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/spare. Accessed 28 Aug. 2025.
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