spares 1 of 2

present tense third-person singular of spare
1
as in conserves
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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2

spares

2 of 2

noun

plural of spare
as in substitutes
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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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 spares
Verb
As engagement-farming social-media accounts like Pop Base and celebrity-gossip accounts such as Deuxmoi still post frequent updates of celebrity sightings and speculation, the type of blanketing gossip press that Hilton introduced now spares no one. Brady Brickner-Wood, New Yorker, 12 Aug. 2026 The timing spares the Eagles and Carter from the questions and speculation that would have unfolded when training camp opened to the media Wednesday. Brooks Kubena, New York Times, 28 July 2026 Senior dogs with arthritis or chronic pain also benefit because mobile service spares them the physical strain of travel. Ryan Brennan, Kansas City Star, 10 July 2026 The move spares Rodriguez a punishing cut to 145 but drops him into the sport's deepest, most wrestling-heavy division. Brian Mazique, Forbes.com, 30 June 2026 The outcome spares officials the headache of changing their ballot rules just a few months before the 2026 midterm congressional elections. Mark Sherman, Chicago Tribune, 29 June 2026 That move largely spares local governments budgetary hits that nonpartisan legislative analysts pegged between $2 billion to $3 billion annually. Stephen Hobbs, Sacbee.com, 26 June 2026 The taxpayers association refused, instead striking a deal with lawmakers to place an amendment on the ballot that raises the threshold for special taxes to two-thirds voter approval but spares existing taxes such as Measure ULA. Jack Flemming, Los Angeles Times, 26 June 2026 The exclusive course, which is financially supported by oligarch Oleg Deripaska, a Putin associate, spares no expense. Nikita Ostrovsky, Time, 18 June 2026
Noun
The contracts cover alternators and regulators for the torpedo program and new MK19 Mod 2 air turbine pump assemblies for submarine spares, supporting the US Navy’s undersea warfare capabilities and fleet readiness. Atharva Gosavi, Interesting Engineering, 9 Aug. 2026 Temporary spares are narrower, lighter, and made with less tread than standard tires. Jessica Safavimehr, Southern Living, 7 Aug. 2026 The contract will procure spares for F-35 fighter jets and will deploy spare packages to the Air Force, Marine Corps, Navy, F-35 program partners and foreign military customers. Maven Navarro, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 27 July 2026 Stroll subsequently couldn’t participate in FP2 as the team did not have enough time to repair the damage and had to fly more spares out to Hungary from its UK factory. Madeline Coleman, New York Times, 25 July 2026 Previously, another wrist joint was replaced and both of the arm's end effectors were swapped out for spares. Robert Z. Pearlman, Space.com, 30 June 2026 This doesn't see three Li-ion battery packs all connected at once for long-range riding, but rather provides a downtube pack plus two spares in a cage hanging from the rear rack. Paul Ridden june 23, New Atlas, 23 June 2026 One good test would be to create a national Navy Battle Depot, directing the new PAEs to immediately procure and maintain a full ship set of spares for every major type and variant of vessel in service today, using advanced manufacturing (additive manufacturing and 3D printing) where possible. Craig Hooper, Forbes.com, 21 June 2026 And since no one expires from, say, cancer or other now-curable diseases, and bones and organs can be replaced like car parts with artificial spares, people only pass when involved in freak accidents…or take their own lives. Leslie Felperin, HollywoodReporter, 24 May 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for spares
Verb
  • In Boise, a growing number of people have turned to xeriscaping in recent years, which is a type of landscaping that conserves water by using native or drought-tolerant plants, according to previous Statesman reporting.
    Idaho Statesman, Idaho Statesman, 23 Aug. 2026
  • This approach reduces development time, conserves resources, and quickly delivers new capabilities to the battlefield.
    Vikram Mittal, Forbes.com, 2 Aug. 2026
Verb
  • That’s the difference between a bill that saves Hollywood and one that saves American filmmaking.
    Sam Roseme, HollywoodReporter, 5 Sep. 2026
  • Kevin Kelly pitched a perfect eighth and Tyler Wells finished for his sixth save after major league saves leader Bryan Baker exited with what the right-hander believed was dehydration after issuing two walks to start the ninth.
    ABC News, ABC News, 4 Sep. 2026
Noun
  • In six states, Medicare beneficiaries must get preapproval for a few treatments that CMS considers to have little clinical benefit and to be susceptible to fraud or waste, including skin substitutes and knee arthroscopy for arthritis.
    Stephanie Armour, Miami Herald, 4 Sep. 2026
  • Individual households may find ways to drive less when gas prices are high, for example, but there’s fewer immediate substitutes for networks that rely on diesel to help produce and haul goods worldwide.
    Wyatte Grantham-Philips, Fortune, 4 Sep. 2026
Verb
  • The Robotrax system’s central steel cable absorbs the primary tensile loads and preserves conductor integrity, dramatically extending cable service life.
    IEEE Spectrum, IEEE Spectrum, 3 Sep. 2026
  • More than 75 events will take place at parks and preserves throughout Northwest Indiana.
    Post-Tribune, Chicago Tribune, 31 Aug. 2026
Noun
  • Keep enough linens to meet your actual household needs, then donate usable extras or responsibly dispose of anything that’s too worn to pass along.
    Jamie Cuccinelli, Martha Stewart, 15 Sep. 2026
  • After blowouts, shutouts and easy wins, the Indians went into extras for the first time to keep the longest streak in 101 years intact.
    Assistant Sports Editor, Los Angeles Times, 14 Sep. 2026
Noun
  • Following the 2013 season — Joe Mauer’s final full year as a catcher before shifting to first base — the Twins have relied on a cavalcade of replacements, from Kurt Suzuki to Gary Sanchez to Ryan Jeffers to be their backstop.
    Jayson Stark, New York Times, 15 Sep. 2026
  • Over the summer, CBS News editor-in-chief Bari Weiss blew up the storied institution by firing its executive producer and key correspondents and bringing in far less experienced replacements, including several right-leaning opinion journalists.
    Josef Adalian, Vulture, 10 Sep. 2026
Noun
  • This caused major backups for commuters driving along Southwest 112th Avenue.
    David Goodhue, Miami Herald, 16 Sep. 2026
  • The teams with the most depth and best backups find ways to overcome key losses.
    ABC News, ABC News, 11 Sep. 2026
Noun
  • The Venezuelan government granted an obscure private oil company, North American Blue Energy Partners, concessions to develop those reserves.
    Spencer Kimball, CNBC, 16 Sep. 2026
  • The water authority has so far avoided dipping into drought reserves thanks to a network of upstream reservoirs, but officials have acknowledged conditions are trending in the wrong direction as winters grow warmer and snowmelt arrives earlier.
    Piper Heath, Los Angeles Times, 16 Sep. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Spares.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/spares. Accessed 17 Sep. 2026.

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