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
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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
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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
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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
Grant Stringer, Mercury News, 18 June 2026
The Buc-ee’s candy that has been credited with fueling the Bulldogs’ offensive onslaught has been distributed in sparing doses in Georgia’s dugout at the College World Series.
—Ken Sugiura, AJC.com, 16 June 2026
This includes those with chronic kidney disease, advanced heart failure, or those taking certain medications such as ACE inhibitors, ARBs, or potassium-sparing diuretics.
—Mira Miller, Verywell Health, 14 June 2026
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
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
Specialists say proton therapy is a precise tool that shrinks tumors while limiting side effects by sparing healthy parts of the body from harmful radiation.
—Grant Stringer, Mercury News, 18 June 2026
The Buc-ee’s candy that has been credited with fueling the Bulldogs’ offensive onslaught has been distributed in sparing doses in Georgia’s dugout at the College World Series.
—Ken Sugiura, AJC.com, 16 June 2026
This includes those with chronic kidney disease, advanced heart failure, or those taking certain medications such as ACE inhibitors, ARBs, or potassium-sparing diuretics.
—Mira Miller, Verywell Health, 14 June 2026
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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for sparing
Adjective
-
In the foothills of the Andes Mountains, outside Santiago, Chile, Casa Oruga is a modern home that demonstrates the possibilities of combining design-forward architecture and economical shipping containers.—
Caitlin Gunther,
Architectural Digest,
17 June 2026
-
Tubers are economical and offer variety, but pre-started plants provide instant results; stake taller dahlias for support.—
Andy Wilcox,
Better Homes & Gardens,
16 June 2026
Adjective
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China walked a careful diplomatic line during the conflict.—
Simone McCarthy,
CNN Money,
20 June 2026
-
All that plus nightly turndown service and 24-hour room service reflect the careful attention paid to guests at Moon Palace The Grand—Cancun.—
Chelsea Adams,
USA Today,
20 June 2026
Adjective
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The close-to-the-crown plaits create a sleek, polished finish while helping camouflage sparse areas by minimizing visible spacing between each braid.—
Omenaa Boakye,
InStyle,
15 June 2026
-
Yet for an industry of that size, the coverage devoted to it is sparse and uneven.—
Ethan Stone,
Miami Herald,
15 June 2026
Verb
-
Vineyards and winemaking utilize sustainable practices, including protecting the adjacent Napa River, naturally managing pests by installing bird and owl boxes among the vines, maintaining healthy soil, and conserving water.—
Mike DeSimone,
Robb Report,
19 June 2026
-
Patients may need to decide between breast-conserving surgery or mastectomy, consider reconstruction options, evaluate radiation recommendations, or determine whether endocrine therapy, chemotherapy or additional testing is appropriate.—
Lauryn Higgins,
Flow Space,
15 June 2026
Verb
-
South Korean goalkeeper Kim Seung-gyu made a mistake earlier that led to Mexico's goal and 1-0 lead, but Kim just kept his team down just one goal after saving a hard shot in the 71st minute by absorbing a hard shot from Raúl Jiménez to his chest and face.—
Andrew Greif,
NBC news,
19 June 2026
-
This allows farmers to see how much water is in the tree itself instead of the soil, saving money and water.—
Carmela Karcher,
CBS News,
19 June 2026
Adjective
-
Perhaps the radical thought of a black woman as president made this approach seem prudent.—
Ta-Nehisi Coates,
Vanity Fair,
15 June 2026
-
Would taking his advice be prudent or practical?—
Roxana Hadadi,
Vulture,
9 June 2026
Adjective
-
There wasn’t much excitement in the building, despite the fact that the game was close until the end.—
Nick Friedell,
New York Times,
17 June 2026
-
He's remained close with the Solari family and has taken Teo Solari under his wing.—
Ryan Hughes,
CBS News,
17 June 2026
Adjective
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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
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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 21 Jun. 2026.
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