Synonyms of sparing

sparing 1 of 2

adjective

ˈsper-iŋ 

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

• economical
• saving
• economizing
• conserving
• prudent
• preserving
• provident
• thrifty
• frugal
• scrimping
• cheap
• spare
• pinching
• close
• foresighted
• forehanded
• parsimonious
• miserly
• stingy
• mean
• penny-wise
• tightfisted
• tight
• foresightful
• stinting
• penurious
• penny-pinching
• closefisted

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• wasteful
• profligate
• prodigal
• spendthrift
• unthrifty
• generous
• squandering
• improvident
• shortsighted
• liberal
• charitable
• bountiful
• unselfish
• munificent
• unsparing
• thriftless
• lavish
• extravagant
• indulgent
• openhanded
• freehanded

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

• careful
• close
• spare
• pinching
• selfish
• desirous
• tight
• parsimonious
• conserving
• miserly
• greedy
• mean
• stingy
• saving
• cheap
• ungenerous
• tightfisted
• stinting
• economical
• penurious
• uncharitable
• small
• penny-pinching
• chintzy
• mingy
• economizing
• pinchpenny
• closefisted
• chary
• thrifty
• frugal
• grudging
• skimping
• grasping
• avaricious
• mercenary
• covetous
• begrudging
• envious
• sordid
• avid
• scrimping
• acquisitive
• rapacious
• shabby
• hoggish
• resentful
• coveting
• itchy
• inhospitable

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• generous
• liberal
• bountiful
• charitable
• unstinting
• bounteous
• unsparing
• munificent
• openhanded
• free
• selfless
• unselfish
• altruistic
• lavish
• extravagant
• handsome
• profuse
• benevolent
• overgenerous
• hospitable
• humanitarian
• freehanded
• beneficent
• philanthropic
• kindly
• magnanimous
• compassionate
• wasting
• wasteful
• openhearted
• profligate
• unthrifty
• prodigal
• dissipating
• spendthrift
• good-hearted
• squandering
• greathearted
• thriftless
• frittering
• splurging

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

• sparse
• scarce
• poor
• spare
• scant
• scanty
• meager
• lowest
• lacking
• stingy
• skimpy
• small
• light
• insufficient
• slender
• mere
• short
• inadequate
• minimal
• skimp
• thin on the ground
• exiguous
• hand-to-mouth
• slim
• least
• deficient
• wanting
• slightest
• thin
• bare-bones
• littlest
• bare
• sterile
• slight
• unfruitful
• unproductive
• barren
• infertile

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• sufficient
• ample
• adequate
• abundant
• generous
• enough
• copious
• liberal
• satisfactory
• plentiful
• bountiful
• rich
• tolerable
• fruitful
• fertile
• fat
• plenteous
• prolific
• extra
• lavish
• excess
• bursting
• luxuriant
• flourishing
• fecund
• thriving
• surplus
• proliferative
• teeming
• swarming
• blooming

sparing

2 of 2

verb

present participle of spare

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

• conserving
• preserving
• skimping (on)
• scanting
• nursing
• stinting (on)
• shortchanging
• pinching
• doling out
• meting (out)
• rationing (out)
• portioning (out)

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• pouring
• showering
• raining
• heaping
• lavishing

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

• saving
• conserving
• economizing
• managing
• preserving
• skimping
• scrimping
• pinching
• scraping
• maintaining
• pinching pennies
• husbanding
• cutting down
• hoarding
• cutting back
• retrenching
• laying up

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• wasting
• spending
• blowing
• squandering
• lavishing
• dissipating
• running through
• throwing away
• frittering (away)
• misspending
• splurging

Synonym Chooser

How is the word sparing distinct from other similar adjectives?

Some common synonyms of sparing are economical, frugal, and thrifty. While all these words mean "careful in the use of one's money or resources," sparing stresses abstention and restraint.

sparing in the offering of advice

When might economical be a better fit than sparing?

Although the words economical and sparing have much in common, economical stresses prudent management, lack of wastefulness, and use of things to their best advantage.

an economical health-care plan

When can frugal be used instead of sparing?

In some situations, the words frugal and sparing are roughly equivalent. However, frugal implies absence of luxury and simplicity of lifestyle.

ran a frugal household

Where would thrifty be a reasonable alternative to sparing?

While in some cases nearly identical to sparing, thrifty stresses good management and industry.

thrifty use of nonrenewable resources

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of sparing

Adjective

In other cases, the redactions were more sparing. — Joe Walsh, CBS News, 19 Dec. 2025

Verb

Keep the diesel at home and prices will fall, sparing farmers, truckers, and inflationary pressures on all Americans. — Jordan Blum, Fortune, 23 Sep. 2026

Skechers Endeavour Sneaker If a $300 price tag is a bit prohibitive to you right now, here’s a wallet-sparing alternative, in the form of the Skechers Endeavour. — Stacia Datskovska, Footwear News, 18 Sep. 2026

The hospital treats about 175 major pediatric spine cases per year, sparing patients from pain, and in some advanced cases, degraded lung function. — Sacbee.com, 14 Sep. 2026

Walking the red carpet at the National Television Awards in London on September 8, Graham explained his reasoning for sparing any details. — Hannah Malach, InStyle, 14 Sep. 2026

If the Niners want to launch a rookie back into an opposing defensive front a few times each game, sparing CMC the wear and tear, that’s probably a good thing. — Andy Behrens, New York Times, 11 Sep. 2026

The United States has now named six Chinese AI firms accused of waging industrial-scale attacks distilling US frontier AI model capabilities and perhaps sparing billions in Chinese development costs. — Ashley Belanger, ArsTechnica, 9 Sep. 2026

The vaccines are designed to help the immune system recognize tumor-specific markers and attack cancer cells while sparing healthy tissue. — Janet Loehrke, USA Today, 6 Sep. 2026

The fund will cover the deductible required by the city’s insurance to rebuild the bandstand, sparing taxpayers from having to pay for any part of the project, according to Denver Parks and Recreation, minus future upgrades or improvements. — John Wenzel, Denver Post, 2 Sep. 2026