1
as in economical
careful in the management of money or resources
a sparing couple who are trying to save up enough for a house
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in careful
giving or sharing as little as possible
a government agency that has always been sparing of public information
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in sparse
less plentiful than what is normal, necessary, or desirable
unfortunately, the explanation of the health insurance plan was somewhat sparing on details
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in conserving
to use or give out in stingy amounts
I'll have a banana split—and don't spare the whipped cream
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in saving
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
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 sparing
Longreads, 19 Dec. 2024
Mercy for violence, however, remained more sparing.
—New York Times, 17 Nov. 2021
Adjective
But the smile is now more sparing, at least on camera.
—Longreads, 19 Dec. 2024
Mercy for violence, however, remained more sparing.
—New York Times, 17 Nov. 2021
Recent Examples of Synonyms for sparing
Adjective
-
Strip Shingles, also called three-tab, are the most basic and economical, but have the shortest lifespan (typically have a 20-30 year warranty).—
Cameron Beall,
Southern Living,
25 June 2025
-
In May, scientists assessed sleep data from more than 200,000 people in China and also found that rising ambient temperatures would have a huge physical, mental and economical impact on residents as the planet continued to warm.—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
16 June 2025
Adjective
-
However, be careful of blurring the distinction between professional and personal relationships.—
Georgia Nicols,
Denver Post,
19 June 2025
-
While the latest inflation and jobs market reports showed that any disruption caused by tariffs has so far been minor, the Fed is clearly being careful about what could happen in the coming weeks and months.—
Giulia Carbonaro,
MSNBC Newsweek,
19 June 2025
Adjective
-
On one side stood a sparse gathering of supporters, including students and faculty.—
Avi D. Gordon,
The Orlando Sentinel,
28 June 2025
-
After missing the cut at the US Open, Phil Mickelson walked off the 18th green at Oakmont with a quiet nod to the sparse crowd, a soft wave, and a lingering glance at the leaderboard.—
Devlina Sarkar,
MSNBC Newsweek,
27 June 2025
Verb
-
In 1980, voters overwhelmingly chose Reagan’s sunny optimism over Carter’s gloomy warnings about cutting back and conserving.—
Leonard Greene,
New York Daily News,
30 Dec. 2024
-
Addressing these inefficiencies through sustainable practices, energy-efficient technologies, energy audits and waste-to-energy solutions is crucial to reducing the global carbon footprint, conserving resources, and mitigating the adverse effects of climate change.—
Dianne Plummer,
Forbes,
30 Dec. 2024
Adjective
-
The likelihood of lightning increases as a thunderstorm gets closer and reaches its highest point when the storm is directly overhead.—
NC Weather Bot,
Charlotte Observer,
28 June 2025
-
Bacon has served Nebraska in Congress since 2017, winning multiple competitive races in the state's 2nd Congressional District, an area that has seen increasingly close contests between Republicans and Democrats in recent election cycles.—
Anna Commander,
MSNBC Newsweek,
28 June 2025
Adjective
-
High-Potential, Untapped Markets I’m inspired by what others ignore—those quiet gaps where attention is scarce but potential is high, like a niche market with growing demand but little innovation.—
Expert Panel®,
Forbes.com,
20 June 2025
-
Aside from mining for lunar water, these efforts might involve the extraction of an isotope called helium-3, which is scarce on Earth but is in relatively large abundance on the moon.—
Julian Dossett,
Space.com,
12 June 2025
Verb
-
A day—or week—of being surrounded by flowering, textural plants while doing good for the future by preserving the past provides lasting benefits and more fragrant spaces for all.—
Jennifer Prince,
Southern Living,
12 Apr. 2025
-
Show Them Some Love Regular maintenance, including cleaning, is key for preserving your collection.—
Betsy Cribb Watson,
Southern Living,
12 Apr. 2025
Adjective
-
Everyone’s here to make one another better, to share tidbits of information, spare knowledge, and that’s the coolest part for me.—
Scott Thompson,
FOXNews.com,
27 June 2025
-
More than a third of the FAA’s 138 ATC systems can no longer be reliably maintained, due to shortages of spare parts and funding, and another 39% were at risk of deteriorating beyond repair, the Government Accountability Office reported last year.—
Jeremy Bogaisky,
Forbes.com,
26 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Sparing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sparing. Accessed 3 Jul. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share