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
New York Times,
22 June 2026
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
Adjective
In other cases, the redactions were more sparing.
—
Joe Walsh,
CBS News,
19 Dec. 2025
Verb
Her arm absorbed the blow, sparing Lizzie, but cutting Freeman to the bone, a wound that would ail her for years to come.
—
New York Times,
22 June 2026
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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for sparing
Adjective
-
For a less crowded and more economical trip, try visiting in one of the liminal seasons, fall or spring.
-
As inference costs become more visible and trust becomes harder to quantify, the piece suggests that in some situations humans supported by AI may prove more economical than replacing them entirely.
Adjective
-
Just be careful not to add water, since even tiny amounts can cause melted chocolate to turn into a grainy, clumpy mess.
-
Ultimately, the widespread adoption of AI for mental health constitutes a global experiment with both potential benefits and serious downsides that require careful management.
Adjective
-
And the deals extend well beyond skin care, with discounts on hair and makeup products that address everything from early signs of thinning hair and sparse brows to dull complexions in need of a natural-looking flush.
-
In the stage-show memoir the movie keeps cutting to, Asher, now in his early eighties, with sparse red hair and tortoise-shell glasses, describes all of this in his mild and menschy way.
Verb
-
Officials advised people to try conserving as much power as possible when the service was on, use surge protectors for valuable electronics, prepare emergency kits in the event of a fire and keep their refrigerators or freezers closed.
-
Jackie and Shadow became internet sensations thanks to the live webcams maintained in their nest by nonprofit organization Friends of Big Bear Valley, which is an outspoken voice for conserving eagle habitat.
Verb
-
The renowned, often feared lawyer dedicated years of pro-bono time to saving emerging designers from their troubles and steering their careers upward.
-
So in addition to saving this place, everyone on Team Bear now has to try to earn a Michelin star on a night when they may be least equipped to do their best work.
Adjective
-
Keeping their core together seems like a prudent move.
-
Perhaps the radical thought of a black woman as president made this approach seem prudent.
Adjective
-
With the wrap in front of you, fold up the edge closest to you.
-
Because wells in the region are large and close to one another, restarting production will require significant coordination across companies and countries to ensure consistent pressure across multiple wells.
Adjective
-
Pools are scarce in the area, Haze noted, and the marketing leans into that rarity — especially when paired with immediate beach access.
-
With memory supply scarce and pricey, consumer electronics companies have spent the past six months pulling various levers to manage the situation, from reconfiguring product SKUs in order to reduce the bill of materials to reluctantly hiking prices.
Cite this Entry
“Sparing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sparing. Accessed 30 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
