spartan

adjective

Definition of spartannext
as in austere
providing only the essentials and nothing fancy or luxurious accommodations on the windjammer are spartan but clean and comfortable nevertheless

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of spartan Anderson matches his subject’s reticence with a similarly spartan approach. — Frank Scheck, HollywoodReporter, 2 Oct. 2026 Obviously, you're held in this really small space, spartan conditions. — ABC News, 27 Sep. 2026 While Calvinism, weaving, deeply repressed sexuality, and passages in Scottish Gaelic don’t exactly sound like the ingredient list for a riot, Stuart builds a rich universe from these seemingly spartan forms. — Kat Chen, Condé Nast Traveler, 23 Sep. 2026 The bedroom is just fine, if a little spartan, with a leafy window view and some moldings, and the main bathroom has been given a spalike treatment. — Matthew Sedacca, Curbed, 17 Sep. 2026 While Meta adorned communal areas with tech-culture flourishes — think foosball, local art and free snacks — the heart of the server farm is spartan. — Mark Dee, Idaho Statesman, 4 Sep. 2026 To Winterman, Guidara’s idealism makes the everyday warmth of a competent restaurant staff seem spartan. — Adam Reiner, Bon Appetit Magazine, 3 Sep. 2026 Patrolling in pairs and marked by their black patent leather tricorn hats, the Guardia Civil sometimes forced refugees back into France but more often threw them into spartan jails until the British or the American consul sent for them. — Literary Hub, 31 Aug. 2026 Koenigsegg The interiors are unsurprisingly spartan and driver-focused. — New Atlas, 17 Aug. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for spartan
  1. austere
  2. simple
  3. no-frills
  4. stark
Adjective
  • Fans of the austere contemporary design that forms the back-bone of the Design Hotel concept will love this new fifty room hipster tucked away in a non-descript side street near Frankfurt’s main train station.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 10 Oct. 2026
  • But de Havilland, who netted two Oscars for her work in the 1940s classics To Each His Own and The Heiress, was more austere.
    — Rance Collins, Entertainment Weekly, 24 Sep. 2026
Definition of austere
Adjective
  • His lyrics, his hooks, his unmistakable voice, his optimism, his belief in the power of a simple song to make people feel good.
    — Chris Willman, Variety, 12 Oct. 2026
  • Some people want to change the world, and others want to operate in simple harmony with it and savor life.
    — Sawdah Bhaimiya, CNBC, 11 Oct. 2026
Definition of simple
Adjective
  • Tushy Fresh Dual-Nozzle Bidet Offering easy installation, this bidet with a no-frills interface has some relaxing perks (including a heated water option) without too many extra knobs and levers.
    — Audrey Lee, Architectural Digest, 8 Oct. 2026
  • That helps reinforce hair’s internal structure so strands are stronger and less prone to breakage—and beyond that, the four-ingredient formula is no-frills.
    — Christa Joanna Lee, Allure, 6 Oct. 2026
Definition of no-frills
Adjective
  • The claims stand in stark contrast to *NSYNC’s commercial record.
    — Jessica Lynch, Billboard, 10 Oct. 2026
  • Axel Bertha’s stark debut explores humanity’s oldest struggle against forces beyond its control, building toward an unsettling outcome that suggests some conflicts are as old as civilization itself.
    — Anna Marie de la Fuente, Variety, 9 Oct. 2026
Definition of stark

Browse Nearby Words

sparsity
spartan
spas
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Cite this Entry

“Spartan.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/spartan. Accessed 14 Oct. 2026.

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