Synonyms of sparks

sparks 1 of 2

verb

present tense third-person singular of spark

1

as in sparkles

to give off sparks

the broken radio sparked and smoked the instant it was plugged in

Synonyms & Similar Words

• sparkles
• glows
• flashes
• shines
• burns
• scintillates
• flames
• blazes
• twinkles
• combusts
• lights (up)
• radiates
• flares (up)

2

as in triggers

to cause to function

interesting questions that are designed to spark the reader's brain

Synonyms & Similar Words

• triggers
• activates
• drives
• fuels
• powers
• generates
• ignites
• moves
• starts
• provokes
• fires
• sets off
• actuates
• turns on
• charges
• cranks (up)
• runs
• pushes
• touches off
• electrifies
• stimulates
• launches
• energizes
• switches
• arouses
• releases
• excites
• trips
• discharges
• incites
• turns over
• reactivates
• accelerates
• recharges
• instigates
• kicks over
• catalyzes
• quickens
• speeds (up)
• stirs up
• jump-starts
• kick-starts
• vitalizes
• steps up

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• kills
• cuts
• stops
• brakes
• arrests
• turns off
• cuts out
• shuts off
• sticks
• checks
• jams
• halts
• stalls
• cuts off
• slows
• deactivates
• suppresses
• draws up
• represses
• decelerates
• stunts

3

as in provokes

to rouse to strong feeling or action

President Kennedy's inspirational speeches sparked a generation of young idealists to enter the public arena

Synonyms & Similar Words

• provokes
• encourages
• stimulates
• stirs
• inspires
• arouses
• excites
• incites
• moves
• motivates
• piques
• motives
• instigates
• triggers
• ignites
• fires (up)
• induces
• drives
• impassions
• revs (up)
• kindles
• activates
• galvanizes
• inflames
• animates
• fans
• energizes
• builds a fire under
• angers
• keys (up)
• sets off
• quickens
• vitalizes
• foments
• bothers
• enrages
• whips (up)
• upsets
• raises
• ferments
• taunts
• pumps up
• teases
• gets
• jeers
• maddens
• annoys
• irritates
• abets
• aggravates
• exasperates
• vexes
• galls

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• calms
• soothes
• subdues
• tranquilizes
• appeases
• placates
• pacifies
• mollifies

sparks

2 of 2

noun

plural of spark

as in splashes

a very small amount

not a spark of interest in the actress's memoirs

Synonyms & Similar Words

• splashes
• glimmers
• specks
• touches
• sprinklings
• hints
• little
• bits
• traces
• licks
• particles
• flecks
• shadows
• spatters
• rays
• dabs
• suspicions
• smacks
• streaks
• bites
• shreds
• smells
• nips
• slivers
• shades
• crumbs
• drops
• pinches
• handfuls
• scruples
• peanuts
• driblets
• dashes
• soupçons
• strains
• drams
• spots
• ounces
• snaps
• mites
• scintillas
• smidgens
• skoshes
• molecules
• aces
• parts
• atoms
• fragments
• drops in the bucket
• grains
• dots
• tastes
• motes
• scraps
• granules
• hoots
• splinters
• doses
• flakes
• vestiges
• syllables
• jots
• semblances
• smatterings
• patches
• nibbles
• shivers
• minima
• shards
• scatterings
• portions
• sections
• minims
• morsels
• chips
• clippings
• shavings
• flyspecks
• iotas
• modicums
• whits
• nubbins
• tatters
• parings
• tittles
• smatters
• smithereens
• shots

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• loads
• masses
• quantities
• piles
• heaps
• lots
• mountains
• deals
• stacks
• bundles
• barrels
• buckets
• bushels
• reams
• rafts
• pecks
• messes
• gobs
• oodles
• abundances
• scads
• lashings
• wads
• fistfuls
• boatloads
• much
• wealths
• volumes
• profusions
• excesses
• overflows
• surpluses
• potfuls
• plenties
• passels
• embarrassments
• bonanzas
• chunks
• overages
• superfluities
• slabs
• overmuch
• lumps
• hunks
• overkills
• oversupplies
• overabundances
• superabundances
• surfeits

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of sparks

Verb

On July 22nd, sparks from a piece of heavy machinery ignited a fire near the town of Burgohondo, in Ávila province. — M. R. O’Connor, New Yorker, 1 Aug. 2026

Mamdani announcement cracking down on tips sparks fury when internet notices one problem. — FOXNews.com, 31 July 2026

Distillation sparks dispute The letter also challenges calls to restrict AI distillation, a technique that trains one model using another model’s outputs. — Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 24 July 2026

While proponents highlight their potential for companionship, addressing issues like loneliness, this technology sparks profound ethical debates. — Bernard Marr, Forbes.com, 23 July 2026

Yet instead of providing clarity, his surprise succession plan sparks confusion and frustration among the McBee family, all while emotions run high ahead of his surrender. — Deirdre Durkan, PEOPLE, 21 July 2026

One of Robert De Niro’s most underrated performances is his portrayal of the title character in 1990’s Stanley & Iris, a short-order cook who sparks a romance with a waitress played by Jane Fonda. — Liza Lentini, SPIN, 21 July 2026

So be sure to explore it and pick up what sparks your interest. — Alexandra Kelly, Martha Stewart, 15 July 2026

The destruction of unsold inventory is an open secret in fashion, even though exposure of the practice inevitably sparks public outrage. — Tianwei Zhang, Footwear News, 14 July 2026

Noun

Any small scraps left behind after cleaning can also cause sparks during cooking. — Karen Brewer Grossman, Southern Living, 26 July 2026

Fires can be caused by sparks from agricultural machinery, lightning strikes, an errant cigarette or even intentional arson. — ABC News, 24 July 2026

These bottles are made of metal; trying to warm liquids inside them in a microwave causes sparks to fly. — Nafeesah Allen, Better Homes & Gardens, 15 July 2026

Even sparks or embers carried by the wind can ignite nearby leaves or grass, triggering a fire that spreads rapidly. — Ca Weather Bot, Sacbee.com, 14 July 2026

Some such sparks came from lightning that passed through the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness and others areas of the Superior National Forest last week. — Andrea Thompson, Scientific American, 14 July 2026

For folks simply eager to hear Future do his thing, the first half of The Real Me offers some sparks. — Mosi Reeves, Rolling Stone, 14 July 2026

The risk of all this is that Ebola becomes endemic, continually threatening millions in Central Africa while periodically casting sparks into the rest of the world. — Allison Deangelis, STAT, 7 July 2026

As the car passed over the pyrotechnic, colorful sparks and flames emerged from the device. — Colson Thayer, PEOPLE, 6 July 2026