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
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
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
These are not women who just help get their grandkids ready for school in the morning or watch them on a Saturday night; these are women who have chosen to become parents again, sparing their grandchildren from life in the foster system.
—Casey Cep, New Yorker, 9 May 2026
The concentrated ultrasound energy is able to kill the diseased tissues by raising their temperature, while sparing the healthy parts nearby.
—Maggie Ryan, Flow Space, 8 May 2026
Danske Bank, the country’s biggest bank, also credits the firm as sparing Denmark’s economy from recession that year.
—Anna Cooban, CNN Money, 7 May 2026
Strong words, reflective of how the Ryces faced tragedy from the start, without sparing themselves and without blaming each other.
—Amy Driscoll, Miami Herald, 3 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
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
These are not women who just help get their grandkids ready for school in the morning or watch them on a Saturday night; these are women who have chosen to become parents again, sparing their grandchildren from life in the foster system.
—Casey Cep, New Yorker, 9 May 2026
The concentrated ultrasound energy is able to kill the diseased tissues by raising their temperature, while sparing the healthy parts nearby.
—Maggie Ryan, Flow Space, 8 May 2026
Danske Bank, the country’s biggest bank, also credits the firm as sparing Denmark’s economy from recession that year.
—Anna Cooban, CNN Money, 7 May 2026
Strong words, reflective of how the Ryces faced tragedy from the start, without sparing themselves and without blaming each other.
—Amy Driscoll, Miami Herald, 3 May 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for sparing
Adjective
-
Spinning off its cellular network will allow Nova Labs to focus on its more economical data offloading business.—
Jack Kubinec,
Fortune,
2 June 2026
-
The trend points to a clear move toward smarter, more economical travel without sacrificing the joy of discovery.—
Hanna Wickes,
Kansas City Star,
1 June 2026
Adjective
-
Backfill with soil, being careful not to place the soil against the stem, as this can cause rot.—
SJ McShane,
Martha Stewart,
6 June 2026
-
Every Jantzen suit is crafted for a variety of body types with careful attention to support, coverage and ease of movement.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
6 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 with minimizing soil disturbance, this, too, helps tremendously with controlling erosion, increasing the carbon content of soil and conserving moisture.—
Special to The Denver Post,
Denver Post,
29 May 2026
-
The impact of the heat was most obvious with regards to Kim Hellberg’s Middlesbrough, whose usual fluent style was swapped for a more energy-conserving approach of injecting bursts of intensity.—
Tom Burrows,
New York Times,
23 May 2026
Verb
-
This means your luggage can actually last a lifetime—saving you big bucks in the long run.—
Meaghan Kenny,
Condé Nast Traveler,
4 June 2026
-
Ninety-eight percent of the rain that falls can be captured, ultimately saving more than 1 million gallons of water a year and reducing building water use by about 89%.—
Tara Molina,
CBS News,
4 June 2026
Adjective
-
But these suites are also closest to the elevators, and the historic walls don’t adequately muffle the sounds of other guests.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
3 June 2026
-
Gertrud would keep the girls close, one on either side.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
3 June 2026
Adjective
-
Castine, Maine Pristine sandy beaches like Wadsworth Cove might be scarce in this small waterfront village, but Castine makes up for it with a rich seafaring history and plentiful water activities.—
Kira Turnbull,
Travel + Leisure,
6 June 2026
-
Because the statewide law was passed during the COVID-19 pandemic and housing construction has been slow and more expensive ever since, data is scarce about whether the reforms are making headway on their lofty housing, transit and pollution goals.—
Julia Prodis Sulek,
Mercury News,
4 June 2026
Verb
-
The show also includes looks that are really about preserving the performer’s face and employing subtle transformations via stubble or smaller prosthetic pieces.—
Sarah Shachat,
IndieWire,
4 June 2026
-
The marker honoring Rush is the first planned for the Arkansas River Delta Blues Trail, which is a project of Arkansas Originals, a nonprofit dedicated to celebrating and preserving people, places and cultural traditions in the Natural State.—
Sean Clancy,
Arkansas Online,
4 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Sparing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sparing. Accessed 9 Jun. 2026.
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