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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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 Even the most spartan features of the airport get a splash of creativity. — Kat Chen, Condé Nast Traveler, 14 Oct. 2026 And the narrative that Iran will just collapse because there is no new money coming in from oil is antithetical to this extreme regime, which prides itself on a spartan life. — Jim Cramer, CNBC, 12 Oct. 2026 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 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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for spartan
  1. austere
  2. simple
  3. no-frills
  4. stark
Adjective
  • Furnished in austere style, the papal suite on the 10th floor of Rome’s Gemelli Hospital is the roost of sick popes.
    — Anthony Faiola, Washington Post, 14 Oct. 2026
  • Nagy continued working as an artist in the years afterward, eventually shedding his austere black-and-white collage aesthetic to make colorful paintings and installations in the ’90s.
    — Alex Greenberger, ARTnews.com, 13 Oct. 2026
Definition of austere
Adjective
  • The best power pop is simple, direct, and memorable, in both words and sound.
    — Jeff Yerger, Pitchfork, 19 Oct. 2026
  • The lack of close coordination between these simple details undermines the structure’s coherence and intent.
    — Edward Keegan, Chicago Tribune, 18 Oct. 2026
Definition of simple
Adjective
  • Carnegie Hall seats well over 3,000 people, but this intense, no-frills performance film gives life to the old saying about feeling alone in a crowd.
    — Damon Wise, Deadline, 13 Oct. 2026
  • The shoes’ low-profile, no-frills silhouette is reminiscent of far pricier brands on the market (cough, cough, The Row).
    — Kyra Surgent, InStyle, 12 Oct. 2026
Definition of no-frills
Adjective
  • The question hasn’t dominated the last few weeks of campaigning, with primaries long over and stark differences on Israel between most Democrats and Republicans.
    — David Weigel, semafor.com, 19 Oct. 2026
  • Trump’s actions come as Ukraine is bracing for a stark winter confronting Russia’s ongoing attacks on its energy infrastructure to heat homes and keep the lights on.
    — Lisa Mascaro, Los Angeles Times, 17 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 20 Oct. 2026.

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