1
as in sparkles
to give off sparks
the broken radio sparked and smoked the instant it was plugged in
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
2
as in triggers
to cause to function
interesting questions that are designed to spark the reader's brain
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in splashes
a very small amount
not a spark of interest in the actress's memoirs
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of sparks
ABC News, 16 June 2026
Analysts at Wedbush in their note to clients on Tuesday said that sparks at least one valid concern and something to monitor.
—Brian Welk, IndieWire, 16 June 2026
Draft the team email and deliver a lively announcement that sparks a neighbor’s help on a community project.
—Tarot.com, Sun Sentinel, 16 June 2026
Of course, that technology also sparks heated debate among fans.
—Manon Bischoff, Scientific American, 13 June 2026
Bitcoin has struggled in recent weeks as the initial public offering (IPO) of Elon Musk’s SpaceX sparks extreme market volatility.
—Billy Bambrough, Forbes.com, 13 June 2026
Granger's intentions are honorable, and O'Donnell sparks his performance with life, making his tragic end that much more gutting.
—Eric Farwell, Entertainment Weekly, 12 June 2026
The younger dude's use of Rick's musical idea and turning it into a worldwide hit sparks a thoughtful quest about fame and credit.
—Brian Truitt, USA Today, 7 June 2026
The Rams’ blockbuster trade for Myles Garrett sparks fresh buzz about Aaron Donald unretiring, raising the possibility of two future Hall of Famers anchoring a defensive line at SoFi.
—Steve Henson, Los Angeles Times, 4 June 2026
Sarah Kate Ellis, PEOPLE, 16 June 2026
For human crews, this transformation removes them from hazardous sparks and toxic fumes, shifting their roles from manual laborers to supervisors of a faster, tireless robotic workforce.
—Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 15 June 2026
General Daily Insight for June 15, 2026 Fresh sparks greet steady hearts and invite open doors.
—Tarot.com, Sun Sentinel, 15 June 2026
Even minor sparks or drifting embers can incite nearby foliage or grass, setting off a rapidly spreading fire.
—Bay Area Weather Report, Mercury News, 9 June 2026
The Football War Tensions between Central American neighbors El Salvador and Honduras had been building for some time, but the two-game qualifying rounds for the 1970 World Cup provided the sparks for warfare.
—Blair Kerkhoff, Kansas City Star, 8 June 2026
Zach and Bryce, however, despite being paired with Kayda Reese Bosse and Trinity Tatum, respectively, continue to share sparks of flirtation.
—Fran Hoepfner, Vulture, 8 June 2026
Brith had shut her eyes, finding that the sparks were still living on the inside of the lids, vivid in their dangerous dark.
—Maggie O’Farrell, Literary Hub, 2 June 2026
And yet year after year, the casting team does such an incredible job of finding the secret sauce amongst the cast to really make those sparks fly and make the show exciting.
—Carly Thomas, HollywoodReporter, 2 June 2026
Verb
Enjoy a fun, hands-on activity that sparks creativity with Creative Crayons Workshop for kids and adults alike.
—ABC News, 16 June 2026
Analysts at Wedbush in their note to clients on Tuesday said that sparks at least one valid concern and something to monitor.
—Brian Welk, IndieWire, 16 June 2026
Draft the team email and deliver a lively announcement that sparks a neighbor’s help on a community project.
—Tarot.com, Sun Sentinel, 16 June 2026
Of course, that technology also sparks heated debate among fans.
—Manon Bischoff, Scientific American, 13 June 2026
Bitcoin has struggled in recent weeks as the initial public offering (IPO) of Elon Musk’s SpaceX sparks extreme market volatility.
—Billy Bambrough, Forbes.com, 13 June 2026
Granger's intentions are honorable, and O'Donnell sparks his performance with life, making his tragic end that much more gutting.
—Eric Farwell, Entertainment Weekly, 12 June 2026
The younger dude's use of Rick's musical idea and turning it into a worldwide hit sparks a thoughtful quest about fame and credit.
—Brian Truitt, USA Today, 7 June 2026
The Rams’ blockbuster trade for Myles Garrett sparks fresh buzz about Aaron Donald unretiring, raising the possibility of two future Hall of Famers anchoring a defensive line at SoFi.
—Steve Henson, Los Angeles Times, 4 June 2026
Noun
When hopelessly romantic Penny awkwardly meets dazzling musician Bianca at a supermarket, sparks fly — and so does Penny’s composure.
—Sarah Kate Ellis, PEOPLE, 16 June 2026
For human crews, this transformation removes them from hazardous sparks and toxic fumes, shifting their roles from manual laborers to supervisors of a faster, tireless robotic workforce.
—Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 15 June 2026
General Daily Insight for June 15, 2026 Fresh sparks greet steady hearts and invite open doors.
—Tarot.com, Sun Sentinel, 15 June 2026
Even minor sparks or drifting embers can incite nearby foliage or grass, setting off a rapidly spreading fire.
—Bay Area Weather Report, Mercury News, 9 June 2026
The Football War Tensions between Central American neighbors El Salvador and Honduras had been building for some time, but the two-game qualifying rounds for the 1970 World Cup provided the sparks for warfare.
—Blair Kerkhoff, Kansas City Star, 8 June 2026
Zach and Bryce, however, despite being paired with Kayda Reese Bosse and Trinity Tatum, respectively, continue to share sparks of flirtation.
—Fran Hoepfner, Vulture, 8 June 2026
Brith had shut her eyes, finding that the sparks were still living on the inside of the lids, vivid in their dangerous dark.
—Maggie O’Farrell, Literary Hub, 2 June 2026
And yet year after year, the casting team does such an incredible job of finding the secret sauce amongst the cast to really make those sparks fly and make the show exciting.
—Carly Thomas, HollywoodReporter, 2 June 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for sparks
Verb
-
As its name suggests, this pool is nestled in a canyon above UC Berkeley’s Memorial Stadium, where its blue water sparkles amid the green forest.—
Martha Ross,
Mercury News,
28 May 2026
-
Isabelle Huppert sparkles in sequins at the Cannes Film Festival closing ceremony in France on May 23.—
People Staff,
PEOPLE,
28 May 2026
Verb
-
Left unmanaged, coal waste routinely triggers water contamination, airborne dust pollution, and spontaneous fires.—
Mrigakshi Dixit,
Interesting Engineering,
15 June 2026
-
That triggers the development of antibodies — immune system proteins that fight off foreign invaders — that quickly learn to identify and attack alpha-gal sugar molecules.—
Matthew Perrone,
Los Angeles Times,
15 June 2026
Verb
-
His jealousy provokes an act of betrayal and cruelty.—
Stephanie Zacharek,
Time,
18 June 2026
-
Such a statistic often provokes a familiar gamut of responses from those who read it, from shock, disgust and anger to a debilitating sense of helplessness.—
Megan Feringa,
New York Times,
3 June 2026
Noun
-
Many of the paintings include a portrait of a Pullman porter or a maid surrounded by splashes of color and fragments of archival documents — newspaper clippings, timesheets, employee records.—
Nina Metz,
Chicago Tribune,
17 June 2026
-
Get into the habit of cleaning up splashes and spilled liquids promptly to prevent them from absorbing into the surface, and avoid drenching the floor with excessive amounts of water when cleaning.—
Sophie Flaxman,
Better Homes & Gardens,
17 June 2026
Verb
-
The speakeasy-style room glows with a gold-leaf ceiling, ochre velvet sofas, and an extravagant cocktail menu.—
Jim Dobson,
Forbes.com,
18 June 2026
-
His writing glows with his obvious love of plants and animals, not least his faithful dog, Roger.—
Rachel Syme,
New Yorker,
10 June 2026
Verb
-
Work by Joseph Kable at the University of Pennsylvania identified a pathway known as the default mode network (DMN) that activates when people are asked to do nothing.—
Dr. Deepika Chopra,
Flow Space,
16 June 2026
-
Creative courage blends with self-trust as loving Venus activates your 5th House of Creativity and trines imaginative Neptune in your 1st House of Identity.—
Tarot.com,
Sun Sentinel,
16 June 2026
Verb
-
The flyer encourages students to celebrate the end of the school year after finals.—
CBS Baltimore Staff,
CBS News,
18 June 2026
-
When their biggest demonic enemy (Lee Byung-hun) encourages the formation of an equally popular K-pop boy band aimed at stealing the souls of their fans, the trio has to fight harder than ever to hold the demons at bay while keeping their friendship intact.—
Zac Ntim,
Deadline,
18 June 2026
Noun
-
This cool pearl blonde glimmers against a buttery backdrop for a sparkling champagne effect.—
Kaitlyn Yarborough,
Southern Living,
13 June 2026
-
Still, there are some glimmers of hope.—
Jonathan Lambert,
NPR,
13 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Sparks.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sparks. Accessed 23 Jun. 2026.
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