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
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Recent Examples of sparing
Longreads, 19 Dec. 2024
Mercy for violence, however, remained more sparing.
—New York Times, 17 Nov. 2021
Lynette Rice, Deadline, 13 Aug. 2025
Randall-Pizarro’s lawyer, Margaret Olsen of the Legal Aid Society, wanted the judge to use that earlier test to get the 18-year-old committed in the hopes of sparing her a stay in the troubled city jail complex.
—Evan Simko-Bednarski, New York Daily News, 7 Aug. 2025
Tested in pigs, the technique boosted signals to the lungs while sparing the throat, reducing unwanted effects without sacrificing therapeutic impact.
—IEEE Spectrum, 4 June 2025
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
Verb
Season 1 ended January 12 with cartel boss Gallino (Garcia) sparing Tommy Norris (Thornton) from a torturous end.
—Lynette Rice, Deadline, 13 Aug. 2025
Randall-Pizarro’s lawyer, Margaret Olsen of the Legal Aid Society, wanted the judge to use that earlier test to get the 18-year-old committed in the hopes of sparing her a stay in the troubled city jail complex.
—Evan Simko-Bednarski, New York Daily News, 7 Aug. 2025
Tested in pigs, the technique boosted signals to the lungs while sparing the throat, reducing unwanted effects without sacrificing therapeutic impact.
—IEEE Spectrum, 4 June 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for sparing
Adjective
-
This ensures safe, efficient, and economical treatment of a wide range of battery designs.—
Aamir Khollam,
Interesting Engineering,
2 Sep. 2025
-
French press French presses are an easy and economical method for brewing bold, rich coffee.—
Mark Marino,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
29 Aug. 2025
Adjective
-
Both coaches and players have been respectful of the other team all week, careful not to produce any bulletin board material.—
Tom Murphy,
Arkansas Online,
5 Sep. 2025
-
Ben Lewis Doherty, playing a boy named Sam whose life is upended by Robbie, is the show’s greatest innocent, a softhearted moppet who warns deer to be careful when crossing the street.—
Roxana Hadadi,
Vulture,
5 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
All these people took advantage of the sheep population, but a remnant of the herd remained among the rocky crags of the San Andres, where grass is sparse and water rare.—
Tim Kelly,
Outdoor Life,
4 Sep. 2025
-
Details surrounding the episode were initially sparse.—
Nathan Pilling,
Kansas City Star,
4 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Across the three studies, positive associations emerged between happiness and real-world behaviors, such as recycling, conserving energy, signing up for newsletters on social issues, and taking steps to address environmental threats.—
Mark Travers,
Forbes.com,
3 Sep. 2025
-
The team used advanced 400 Wh/kg lithium battery pouches, conserving weight and space while maintaining energy density.—
Sujita Sinha,
Interesting Engineering,
1 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Choosing a carry-on that’s large enough to accommodate your packing needs is crucial; without it, your attempts at saving space will likely fall flat.—
Olivia Young,
Travel + Leisure,
7 Sep. 2025
-
As the Sons occupy a government building, Chris springs into action, saving a hostage while killing militant after militant with fists, a copy machine, and — in the most memorably violent use of a writing utensil in a DC Comics adaptation since The Dark Knight — two pencils in the ears.—
Scott Meslow,
Vulture,
5 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
Musk and Gebbia have maintained a close professional relationship; Gebbia sits on Tesla’s board and was introduced to DOGE earlier this year through Musk.—
Heather Hunter,
The Washington Examiner,
3 Sep. 2025
-
Recent polling has shown Mamdani as the clear front-runner in the field, but the race gets closer when in a three-way contest with Cuomo and Republican candidate Curtis Sliwa.—
Anna Commander,
MSNBC Newsweek,
3 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
The insights were gained from a climate station on Tajikistan’s Kyzylsu Glacier, a region where observational data has been scarce since the Soviet Union fell.—
Mrigakshi Dixit,
Interesting Engineering,
2 Sep. 2025
-
If rainfall is scarce, they should be watered deeply every 7 to 10 days.—
Lauren Landers,
Better Homes & Gardens,
2 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
The company is preserving mid-20th Century brutalist architecture with finishes and furniture from that period.—
Vinod Sreeharsha,
Miami Herald,
6 Sep. 2025
-
This approach eliminates the reliance on chemicals, promotes organic and regenerative farming techniques, and aims to increase yields while preserving the health of the land.—
Luisa Zargani,
Footwear News,
6 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Sparing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sparing. Accessed 9 Sep. 2025.
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