SPARE Synonyms: 308 Similar and Opposite Words

Q: How does the adjective 'spare' contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of spare are gaunt , lanky , lank , lean , rawboned , scrawny , and skinny . While all these words mean "thin because of an absence of excess flesh," spare suggests leanness from abstemious living or constant exercise. // the gymnast's spare figure

Q: When could 'gaunt' be used to replace 'spare'?

The words gaunt and spare are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, gaunt implies marked thinness or emaciation as from overwork or suffering. // a prisoner's gaunt face

Q: When is 'lank' a more appropriate choice than 'spare'?

The meanings of lank and spare largely overlap; however, lank implies tallness as well as leanness. // the lank legs of the heron

Q: When is it sensible to use 'lanky' instead of 'spare'?

In some situations, the words lanky and spare are roughly equivalent. However, lanky suggests awkwardness and loose-jointedness as well as thinness. // a lanky youth, all arms and legs

Q: When can 'lean' be used instead of 'spare'?

The synonyms lean and spare are sometimes interchangeable, but lean stresses lack of fat and of curving contours. // a lean racehorse

Q: When would 'rawboned' be a good substitute for 'spare'?

The words rawboned and spare can be used in similar contexts, but rawboned suggests a large ungainly build without implying undernourishment. // a rawboned farmer

Q: How do 'scrawny' and 'skinny' relate to one another, in the sense of 'spare'?

Both scrawny and skinny imply an extreme leanness that suggests deficient strength and vitality. // a scrawny chicken // skinny street urchins

spare 1 of 3

verb

Definition of spare next

as in to scant

to use or give out in stingy amounts I'll have a banana split—and don't spare the whipped cream

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as in to save

to avoid unnecessary waste or expense she had grown up during the Great Depression, so she was no stranger to sparing

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spare

2 of 3

adjective

ˈsper

as in extra

being over what is needed I had some spare time to kill, so I cleaned up my cubicle a bit

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in careful

giving or sharing as little as possible a man who is kind and gentle but definitely spare of speech

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in thin

having a noticeably small amount of body fat a tall, spare man

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as in scarce

less plentiful than what is normal, necessary, or desirable spare vegetation that made foraging very difficult

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

spare

3 of 3

noun

as in backup

an interchangeable part or piece of equipment that is kept on hand for replacement of an original we promptly replaced the burnt-out lightbulb with a spare

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

How does the adjective spare contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of spare are gaunt, lanky, lank, lean, rawboned, scrawny, and skinny. While all these words mean "thin because of an absence of excess flesh," spare suggests leanness from abstemious living or constant exercise.

the gymnast's spare figure

When could gaunt be used to replace spare?

The words gaunt and spare are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, gaunt implies marked thinness or emaciation as from overwork or suffering.

a prisoner's gaunt face

When is lank a more appropriate choice than spare?

The meanings of lank and spare largely overlap; however, lank implies tallness as well as leanness.

the lank legs of the heron

When is it sensible to use lanky instead of spare?

In some situations, the words lanky and spare are roughly equivalent. However, lanky suggests awkwardness and loose-jointedness as well as thinness.

a lanky youth, all arms and legs

When can lean be used instead of spare?

The synonyms lean and spare are sometimes interchangeable, but lean stresses lack of fat and of curving contours.

a lean racehorse

When would rawboned be a good substitute for spare?

The words rawboned and spare can be used in similar contexts, but rawboned suggests a large ungainly build without implying undernourishment.

a rawboned farmer

How do scrawny and skinny relate to one another, in the sense of spare?

Both scrawny and skinny imply an extreme leanness that suggests deficient strength and vitality.

a scrawny chicken

skinny street urchins

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 spare

Verb

Also, the Local Government Distributive Fund was spared from cuts in the budget. —

Willie Wilson, Chicago Tribune, 4 June 2026 SpaceX redesigned this massive structure to pull away more rapidly during liftoff to spare its myriad umbilicals and other connections to the rocket from serious damage. —

Eric Berger, ArsTechnica, 3 June 2026

Adjective

Travel costs are climbing, remote work has loosened the rules on where and how long people can roam, and a growing share of travelers are deciding that a stranger’s spare bedroom — or entire home — beats another $400-a-night hotel. —

Hanna Wickes, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 2 June 2026 Some features that set these earbuds apart include the ability to turn on the in-app battery preservation feature, download updates and replace spare parts. —

George Yang, PC Magazine, 2 June 2026

Noun

The contract covers full-rate production engines, initial spares, modules, engineering resources, program oversight and dedicated production support services, according to a release from RTX. —

Staff Report, Hartford Courant, 31 Mar. 2026 If a motor with a 12-week lead time breaks and there are no spares, downtime can result in customer attrition. —

Jeff Mahler, Forbes.com, 13 Mar. 2026 See All Example Sentences for spare

Recent Examples of Synonyms for spare

Verb

Trump captured attention his first time around, in part, by talking about issues that other candidates scanted: the threat of China, chaos at the southern border.

— NR Editors, National Review, 22 Dec. 2023
For each of the debaters, the session will provide an opportunity for attention that has scanted them during months dominated by news about Trump and his parade of indictments.

— Seema Mehta, Los Angeles Times, 23 Aug. 2023

Definition of scant

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“Spare.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/spare. Accessed 8 Jun. 2026.

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Synonyms of spare

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