as in austere
providing only the essentials and nothing fancy or luxurious
accommodations on the windjammer are spartan but clean and comfortable nevertheless
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Recent Examples of spartan
Plot details are under wraps but according to the spartan official synopsis, the psychological thriller unfolds in a seemingly idyllic and takes audiences on a vertiginous dive into the shifting limits of a sound mind, as grief and obsession take hold.
—
Melanie Goodfellow, Deadline, 1 Apr. 2026
The modern extension in the rear of the 19th-century main villa is an elegantly spartan affair that somehow complements the 19th-century edifice and brings in the surrounding foliage.
—Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 5 Mar. 2026
His solution is to hide technology behind spartan interfaces.
—Diana Budds, Architectural Digest, 3 Mar. 2026
The learning center used to be a hostel, its spartan facilities a challenge, a lawyer mom told Lilian, for the stay-at-home mothers who would otherwise have been perfect candidates for the task of chaperoning.
—Yiyun Li, New Yorker, 1 Mar. 2026
The operatives, mostly men and women in their late twenties, sat in a circle in the spartan safe house with a single, small light and no furniture.
—Jason Burke, Time, 27 Feb. 2026
Osteria Historically speaking, an osteria was a spartan, no-frills establishment where people would go to have a drink.
—Laura Itzkowitz, Travel + Leisure, 27 Feb. 2026
While many sports cars are spartan in their functional aesthetic, including the Mercedes-AMG GT, which shares engine architecture with Aston Martin, the Vantage S feels different due to its elegant lines and abjectly opulent interior.
—Basem Wasef, Robb Report, 25 Feb. 2026
Freed from any sort of period accuracy, Davies tried to start the house in a spartan, memory-like state, as Cathy and Heathcliff would remember it from childhood.
—Sarah Shachat, IndieWire, 18 Feb. 2026
Melanie Goodfellow, Deadline, 1 Apr. 2026
The modern extension in the rear of the 19th-century main villa is an elegantly spartan affair that somehow complements the 19th-century edifice and brings in the surrounding foliage.
—Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 5 Mar. 2026
His solution is to hide technology behind spartan interfaces.
—Diana Budds, Architectural Digest, 3 Mar. 2026
The learning center used to be a hostel, its spartan facilities a challenge, a lawyer mom told Lilian, for the stay-at-home mothers who would otherwise have been perfect candidates for the task of chaperoning.
—Yiyun Li, New Yorker, 1 Mar. 2026
The operatives, mostly men and women in their late twenties, sat in a circle in the spartan safe house with a single, small light and no furniture.
—Jason Burke, Time, 27 Feb. 2026
Osteria Historically speaking, an osteria was a spartan, no-frills establishment where people would go to have a drink.
—Laura Itzkowitz, Travel + Leisure, 27 Feb. 2026
While many sports cars are spartan in their functional aesthetic, including the Mercedes-AMG GT, which shares engine architecture with Aston Martin, the Vantage S feels different due to its elegant lines and abjectly opulent interior.
—Basem Wasef, Robb Report, 25 Feb. 2026
Freed from any sort of period accuracy, Davies tried to start the house in a spartan, memory-like state, as Cathy and Heathcliff would remember it from childhood.
—Sarah Shachat, IndieWire, 18 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for spartan
Adjective
-
Stabilization requires austere monetary and fiscal measures, and in some cases, the adoption of a new or foreign currency.—
Encyclopedia Britannica,
Encyclopedia Britannica,
14 Apr. 2026
-
While some fans may find the premise redundant, the youthful perspective adds just enough brightness to the show’s austere religious world.—
Rebecca Aizin,
PEOPLE,
10 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
The overall aesthetic was slightly ascetic without being spartan—a pale, neutral color palette; simple, modern furniture; a few pieces of abstract art.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
22 Apr. 2026
-
This translates to the Gap cardigan sweater and the Levi’s shorts paired with the flats for a simple, slightly elevated look that feels comfortable.—
Isis Briones,
Travel + Leisure,
22 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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For anyone who appreciates comfort food done right — the kind of no-frills, generous cooking that defines great food cities — this is the place to dig in.—
Lauren Schuster,
Kansas City Star,
15 Apr. 2026
-
Set near the foot of South Mountain and its 100 miles of trails, Wonderift adopts an earthy ethos, recycling grounds and providing a no-velvet-couch, no-frills hangout to hikers.—
Chris Malloy,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
14 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
In fact, the summer peaks of COVID in 2024 and 2025 were worse than their respective winter peaks, according to the California Department of Public Health — a stark departure from the earlier years of the pandemic, when winter surges ripped through California with devastating regularity.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
20 Apr. 2026
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Art shippers are feeling stark impacts from the United States and Israel’s war in Iran, seeing costs rise and shipping routes severely disrupted, particularly in Asia, according to a new report in the Art Newspaper.—
Brian Boucher,
ARTnews.com,
20 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Spartan.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/spartan. Accessed 24 Apr. 2026.
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