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
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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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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
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Recent Examples of spare
Denise Hruby, Miami Herald, 21 May 2025
Small miracles spare the staff Most Saturdays, Abdallah and his staff are flitting between patient rooms and laboratories, sterilizing equipment, checking on growing embryos and walking hopeful parents through the arduous process of in vitro fertilization.
—Elizabeth Wolfe, CNN Money, 20 May 2025
Justin Muszynski, Hartford Courant, 22 May 2025
Stewart’s upholstered piece can be so many things — a footrest, a side table, even a comfy spare stool when extra seating is necessary.
—Clint Davis, People.com, 15 May 2025
Mike Hanlon, New Atlas, 12 Jan. 2025
But there will be a couple of spares in the paddock in case a team (or two) experiences a failure, according to Formula E's head of championship, Pablo Martino.
—Ars Technica, 23 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for spare
Verb
Raising pre-existing homes is still rare, in part because the region has recently been spared the devastation the Gulf Coast endured.
—Denise Hruby, Miami Herald, 21 May 2025
Small miracles spare the staff Most Saturdays, Abdallah and his staff are flitting between patient rooms and laboratories, sterilizing equipment, checking on growing embryos and walking hopeful parents through the arduous process of in vitro fertilization.
—Elizabeth Wolfe, CNN Money, 20 May 2025
Adjective
The prison term was reduced to avoid a trial and spare Minogue’s teenage son the burden of having to testify.
—Justin Muszynski, Hartford Courant, 22 May 2025
Stewart’s upholstered piece can be so many things — a footrest, a side table, even a comfy spare stool when extra seating is necessary.
—Clint Davis, People.com, 15 May 2025
Noun
Most former Grand Prix bikes that reach auction have a racing provenance, but this one is an absolute unicorn – a grand prix racing bike untouched from new, with spares.
—Mike Hanlon, New Atlas, 12 Jan. 2025
But there will be a couple of spares in the paddock in case a team (or two) experiences a failure, according to Formula E's head of championship, Pablo Martino.
—Ars Technica, 23 Jan. 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
-
His defensive metrics rank among the worst out of all qualified third basemen, with -7 outs above average and -8 defensive runs saved.—
Abbey Mastracco,
New York Daily News,
28 May 2025
-
The kit will save you room and money on refills throughout the frame's 20-year life span cutting disposable waste by 20%.—
Adam Mills,
MSNBC Newsweek,
28 May 2025
Adjective
-
In the seventh, Loftin atoned for his aggressive baserunning by robbing Riley Greene of extra bases with a diving catch.—
Jaylon Thompson,
Kansas City Star,
1 June 2025
-
The match went to the second half of extra time still level, but not before LAFC suffered a significant loss.—
Avi Creditor,
New York Times,
1 June 2025
Adjective
-
This thing is razor sharp though, be careful when using it in the backcountry.—
Scott Gilbertson,
Wired News,
25 May 2025
-
To remove the paint from hinge mortises, remove the hinges and scrape away the paint using a 5-in-1 tool or a chisel, being careful not to cut into the wood itself.—
Kamron Sanders,
Better Homes & Gardens,
25 May 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.—
STAR-TELEGRAM WEATHER BOT,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
25 May 2025
-
And was there ever, complete with Angus Young, knobby knees and thin ankles, scampering, duck-walking and hopping from place to place.—
Bob Gendron,
Chicago Tribune,
25 May 2025
Adjective
-
In a job market where interviews are scarce and searches can stretch for months, Marino-Briggs was struck by how often candidates arrived unprepared.—
Julia Korn,
Forbes.com,
26 May 2025
-
In a year where momentum is scarce, NASCAR’s 600-mile test provides a chance to put some distance between the good and the great.—
Shane Connuck,
Charlotte Observer,
23 May 2025
Noun
-
Master Lock Portable Small Lock Box $24 $18 at Amazon Not every hotel room has a safe, and this portable lock box is a solid backup.—
Aly Walansky,
Travel + Leisure,
1 June 2025
-
Having a backup, like a satellite phone with two-way communications capabilities, is better.—
Amanda Loudin,
New York Times,
30 May 2025
Verb
-
The adults can survive for up to five months without food, remaining still to conserve their energy.—
The Washington Post,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
24 May 2025
-
The Nicaraguan native and engineer bought the land with the intent to conserve the tropical forest and its wildlife.—
Evie Carrick,
Travel + Leisure,
22 May 2025
Cite this Entry
“Spare.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/spare. Accessed 4 Jun. 2025.
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