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
Joe Walsh, CBS News, 19 Dec. 2025
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
Bennett Durando, Denver Post, 12 June 2026
Gruesome as his actions might be, they were done in the hope of sparing a child from an even more agonizing end.
—Josh Weiss, Forbes.com, 11 June 2026
Gloria Romero will face Democrat Fiona Ma in the November race, according to the Associated Press, dashing Democrats’ hopes of locking out the GOP from a race and sparing Ma an intraparty fight against two other Democratic candidates.
—Ben Paviour, Sacbee.com, 11 June 2026
The former reality star underwent a nipple-sparing double mastectomy with direct-to-implant reconstruction on April 29.
—Vanessa Etienne, PEOPLE, 9 June 2026
Though meteorologists caution that hurricanes can technically form anywhere in the Caribbean, climatic conditions tend to push tropical weather west, then north, sparing the southern part of the region from most storms.
—Carley Rojas Avila, Travel + Leisure, 29 May 2026
The talks have extended a nominal ceasefire that went into effect April 17, although the attacks have since intensified, while largely sparing Beirut.
—Kareem Chehayeb, Chicago Tribune, 28 May 2026
Otherwise, Dillon could carve out a role as a short-yardage ball-carrier, sparing the Panthers from forcing a QB sneak setup.
—Mike Kaye
updated May 20, Charlotte Observer, 20 May 2026
Thankfully, Papa Bob had a can opener, sparing us hours of hearing about it.
—Sarah D. Wire, USA Today, 17 May 2026
Adjective
In other cases, the redactions were more sparing.
—Joe Walsh, CBS News, 19 Dec. 2025
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
Verb
Nuggets wing Torrey Craig made the same exact mistake as Fox with a few seconds left in Game 7 of a 2020 playoff series, but Mike Conley’s buzzer beater at the other end rimmed out, sparing Craig.
—Bennett Durando, Denver Post, 12 June 2026
Gruesome as his actions might be, they were done in the hope of sparing a child from an even more agonizing end.
—Josh Weiss, Forbes.com, 11 June 2026
Gloria Romero will face Democrat Fiona Ma in the November race, according to the Associated Press, dashing Democrats’ hopes of locking out the GOP from a race and sparing Ma an intraparty fight against two other Democratic candidates.
—Ben Paviour, Sacbee.com, 11 June 2026
The former reality star underwent a nipple-sparing double mastectomy with direct-to-implant reconstruction on April 29.
—Vanessa Etienne, PEOPLE, 9 June 2026
Though meteorologists caution that hurricanes can technically form anywhere in the Caribbean, climatic conditions tend to push tropical weather west, then north, sparing the southern part of the region from most storms.
—Carley Rojas Avila, Travel + Leisure, 29 May 2026
The talks have extended a nominal ceasefire that went into effect April 17, although the attacks have since intensified, while largely sparing Beirut.
—Kareem Chehayeb, Chicago Tribune, 28 May 2026
Otherwise, Dillon could carve out a role as a short-yardage ball-carrier, sparing the Panthers from forcing a QB sneak setup.
—Mike Kaye
updated May 20, Charlotte Observer, 20 May 2026
Thankfully, Papa Bob had a can opener, sparing us hours of hearing about it.
—Sarah D. Wire, USA Today, 17 May 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for sparing
Adjective
-
The problem is that powering up the engines, idling them, and then using their massive power just to trundle around the tarmac is scarcely economical.—
David Szondy
June 07,
New Atlas,
7 June 2026
-
Over time, broader adoption across the automotive industry is expected to drive down battery costs, making flying cars more economical to operate and opening the door to wider commercial use.—
Bojan Stojkovski,
Interesting Engineering,
7 June 2026
Adjective
-
Be careful when riding back downtown on a bike, as the hill notoriously increases cycling speed.—
Iona Brannon,
Travel + Leisure,
13 June 2026
-
The Main Match Concealer is available in 22 shades, with careful consideration for South Asian undertones (which are often breezed by).—
Jailynn Taylor,
Allure,
13 June 2026
Adjective
-
Visible traffic through the Strait of Hormuz remains sparse, estimated at just 15% of pre-war levels, according to JPMorgan.—
Matt Egan,
CNN Money,
9 June 2026
-
Travelers should prepare for extreme desert conditions, limited services, and sparse cell coverage, especially during warmer months.—
Gabi De la Rosa,
Travel + Leisure,
7 June 2026
Verb
-
As countries, companies and nonprofit organizations around the world seek to protect land, conserving precious environmental resources and reducing the effects of climate change, the communities most likely to be displaced are the Indigenous people who have lived there for generations.—
Buket Altınçelep,
The Conversation,
12 June 2026
-
The non-profit is dedicated to conserving the land around Big Bear Lake in the San Bernardino Mountains.—
Laura Baisas,
Popular Science,
11 June 2026
Verb
-
That’s when Patriots goalkeeper Mamie Kosicki shined, saving multiple high-quality chances to hold the score.—
Jack Murray,
Boston Herald,
11 June 2026
-
In a statement issued on June 10, Svelta Plastic Surgery maintained that advanced life-saving measures were already underway before firefighters arrived.—
Ivan Taylor,
CBS News,
11 June 2026
Adjective
-
Would taking his advice be prudent or practical?—
Roxana Hadadi,
Vulture,
9 June 2026
-
Consulting a professional arborist may be prudent before making significant cuts.—
Nafeesah Allen,
Better Homes & Gardens,
7 June 2026
Adjective
-
Villegas was projected as the second candidate to advance on Tuesday, a week after the election, after a close contest.—
Caitlin Yilek,
CBS News,
10 June 2026
-
There is still just something about being part of the mood of the whole nation, and being up that close to see it, that is really cool.—
Jack Pitt-Brooke,
New York Times,
10 June 2026
Adjective
-
And resources will only get more scarce as pressure builds to cut costs and benefits in a tight job market.—
Jessica Guynn,
USA Today,
14 June 2026
-
Japan's school lunch program was actually started after World War II, when the country was shattered and food was scarce.—
Adam Yamaguchi,
CBS News,
14 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Sparing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sparing. Accessed 15 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
