1
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
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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2
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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3
as in thin
having a noticeably small amount of body fat
a tall, spare man
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in scarce
less plentiful than what is normal, necessary, or desirable
spare vegetation that made foraging very difficult
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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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of spare
Seth Borenstein, Los Angeles Times, 1 June 2025
In Orlo Vista, Williams hopes Orange County’s recent improvements to the stormwater drainage systems will help spare her neighborhood from flooding this year.
—Martin E. Comas, The Orlando Sentinel, 1 June 2025
Alisha Haridasani Gupta, New York Times, 31 May 2025
Reviving an extinct species isn’t like assembling a model from spare parts.
—Elay Shech, The Conversation, 30 May 2025
New Atlas, 24 Mar. 2025
Because their visitors were man-for-man, whoever pressed Ederson would leave a player spare.
—Liam Tharme, The Athletic, 16 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for spare
Verb
Climate & Environment As climate hazards worsen, Trump moves to weaken FEMA and shift disaster response onto states
May 14, 2025
But the National Hurricane Center, which tracks and warns of hurricanes in the Atlantic, Pacific and Caribbean, has been spared.
—Seth Borenstein, Los Angeles Times, 1 June 2025
In Orlo Vista, Williams hopes Orange County’s recent improvements to the stormwater drainage systems will help spare her neighborhood from flooding this year.
—Martin E. Comas, The Orlando Sentinel, 1 June 2025
Adjective
In any spare minute, Ms. Modi looked up ingredients, researched infant nutritional science and examined how the existing formula brands functioned.
—Alisha Haridasani Gupta, New York Times, 31 May 2025
Reviving an extinct species isn’t like assembling a model from spare parts.
—Elay Shech, The Conversation, 30 May 2025
Noun
There's also a stock of parts and spares, and a follow-up list of inventory in third-party warehouses that has had its value cut by 65% for the purpose of liquidation.
—New Atlas, 24 Mar. 2025
Because their visitors were man-for-man, whoever pressed Ederson would leave a player spare.
—Liam Tharme, The Athletic, 16 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for spare
Recent Examples of Synonyms for spare
Verb
-
By scanting this complexity, Remnick leaves readers with a less than totally satisfying depiction of Obama's encounter with the world of black Chicago.—
Walter Russell Mead,
Foreign Affairs,
1 July 2010
-
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
Verb
-
Molly saves the day, grabbing a teapot from a closet, where she’s been saving a secret stash of cash.—
Emily Nussbaum,
New Yorker,
9 June 2025
-
On the plus side, Hershel finally perfected his knife-throwing just in time to save mom Maggie from becoming Grizzly Chow.—
Charlie Mason,
TVLine,
8 June 2025
Adjective
-
Drivers are urged to slow down and use extra caution to avoid hydroplaning.—
NC Weather Bot,
Charlotte Observer,
14 June 2025
-
Still, there have been pockets of high-profile clashes with police in Los Angeles, leading California Gov. Gavin Newsom to bring in extra state resources and Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass to impose a curfew.—
Sarah D. Wire,
USA Today,
13 June 2025
Adjective
-
Watch out for slippery roads: Be extra careful during the first half hour after rain begins.—
Bay Area Weather Report,
Mercury News,
7 June 2025
-
But as the Trump administration has rolled out immigration policies targeting Venezuelans, Haitians and Cubans, GOP officials in Miami have had to draw a careful balance between supporting the White House and the many immigrants in their district affected by Trump’s immigration agenda.—
Jacqueline Charles,
Miami Herald,
6 June 2025
Adjective
-
The water pressure then causes the vehicle to rise and slide on a thin layer of water between the tires and the road, making the driver lose control.—
NC Weather Bot,
Charlotte Observer,
7 June 2025
-
Trying to please everyone Trying to please everyone becomes the fastest way to dilute your value and spread it thin.—
Jodie Cook,
Forbes.com,
6 June 2025
Adjective
-
That's key in a country where good-paying jobs are scarce.—
Omkar Khandekar,
NPR,
8 June 2025
-
But information about food availability has been scarce by all accounts.—
Juliette Kayyem,
The Atlantic,
6 June 2025
Noun
-
If Richardson isn’t available, the Colts may consider adding another veteran QB, especially with rookie Riley Leonard serving as the team’s backup.—
James Boyd,
New York Times,
13 June 2025
-
Many startups are exploring ways to combine energy harvesting with battery backup to enhance tracking and monitoring capabilities throughout supply chain operations.—
Kalhan Rosenblatt,
NBC news,
11 June 2025
Verb
-
Health officials also recommend conserving energy, using environmentally friendly household and cleaning products, and running a portable air purifier or a central air conditioning system with the fresh air intake closed or set on recirculate.—
Adriana Pérez,
Chicago Tribune,
6 June 2025
-
That said, the research found that wool garments conserved greater thermal comfort and minimized after-chill, the drop in body temperature athletes often experience during resting phases.—
Alexandra Harrell,
Sourcing Journal,
4 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Spare.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/spare. Accessed 18 Jun. 2025.
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