1
as in sparkling
to give off sparks
the broken radio sparked and smoked the instant it was plugged in
Synonyms & Similar Words
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2
as in triggering
to cause to function
interesting questions that are designed to spark the reader's brain
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in provoking
to rouse to strong feeling or action
President Kennedy's inspirational speeches sparked a generation of young idealists to enter the public arena
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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Recent Examples of sparking
Ukraine’s long-range drone attacks have been increasingly reaching further into Russian territory, sparking fears that Ukraine could strike within Moscow on the day of the parade.
—
Carter Schroppe, The Washington Examiner, 10 May 2026
The criticism was swift, sparking debates in comments sections and forums online about privilege, accessibility, and animal welfare.
—Charisma Madarang, Rolling Stone, 8 May 2026
The college freshman vanished from California Polytechnic State University’s San Luis Obispo campus over Memorial Day weekend in 1996, sparking a decadeslong investigation that led to the trial and conviction in 2022 of Paul Flores for her murder.
—Chelsea Bailey, CNN Money, 8 May 2026
For the first time, golden mussels, an invasive species of tiny mollusks that can rapidly reproduce and cause millions of dollars in damage to pipes, drinking water plants, irrigation systems and dams — sparking growing concerns across California — have been found in Santa Clara County.
—Paul Rogers, Mercury News, 8 May 2026
Many of these homes are on the eastern portion closer to the Grand Prairie Road location, sparking the pivot to put Rocky Ridge Elementary School first.
—Corey Schmidt, Sacbee.com, 8 May 2026
Same with Kaprizov, with veteran defenseman Brent Burns sparking a scrum by hitting the Russian star in a sensitive area in the third period.
—Joe Smith, New York Times, 7 May 2026
But local beach basketball players didn’t realize that the pickleball courts would replace the basketball courts until last April when the city posted a small sign about the change, sparking outrage.
—Amanda Rosa
may 6, Miami Herald, 6 May 2026
The skull imagery has been used by law enforcement in recent years, sparking controversy at times.
—Claire Rush, Fortune, 2 May 2026
Carter Schroppe, The Washington Examiner, 10 May 2026
The criticism was swift, sparking debates in comments sections and forums online about privilege, accessibility, and animal welfare.
—Charisma Madarang, Rolling Stone, 8 May 2026
The college freshman vanished from California Polytechnic State University’s San Luis Obispo campus over Memorial Day weekend in 1996, sparking a decadeslong investigation that led to the trial and conviction in 2022 of Paul Flores for her murder.
—Chelsea Bailey, CNN Money, 8 May 2026
For the first time, golden mussels, an invasive species of tiny mollusks that can rapidly reproduce and cause millions of dollars in damage to pipes, drinking water plants, irrigation systems and dams — sparking growing concerns across California — have been found in Santa Clara County.
—Paul Rogers, Mercury News, 8 May 2026
Many of these homes are on the eastern portion closer to the Grand Prairie Road location, sparking the pivot to put Rocky Ridge Elementary School first.
—Corey Schmidt, Sacbee.com, 8 May 2026
Same with Kaprizov, with veteran defenseman Brent Burns sparking a scrum by hitting the Russian star in a sensitive area in the third period.
—Joe Smith, New York Times, 7 May 2026
But local beach basketball players didn’t realize that the pickleball courts would replace the basketball courts until last April when the city posted a small sign about the change, sparking outrage.
—Amanda Rosa
may 6, Miami Herald, 6 May 2026
The skull imagery has been used by law enforcement in recent years, sparking controversy at times.
—Claire Rush, Fortune, 2 May 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for sparking
Verb
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Plants produce large, rounded flowerheads from late summer to fall in sparkling pink, purple, and rose-red hues, providing a late season source of nectar to bees, butterflies, and other pollinators.—
Kim Toscano,
Southern Living,
10 May 2026
-
Adult tickets for the Saturday Starlight Adventures excursions are $139 and include a complimentary charcuterie box and a glass of Champagne or sparkling cider.—
Lydia Mansel,
Travel + Leisure,
9 May 2026
Verb
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The breakthrough came recently when an ICE collection allowed Catalan-Torreblanca's DNA profile to be entered into CODIS, triggering a match to the crime scenes.—
Alexandra Koch,
FOXNews.com,
7 May 2026
-
The one-page US proposal sought to declare an end to the war while triggering a 30-day negotiation period to resolve sticking points, including on nuclear issues, frozen Iranian assets and security in the Strait of Hormuz, according to a regional source familiar with the negotiations.—
Jennifer Hansler,
CNN Money,
7 May 2026
Verb
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The anti-camping bill, HB 1365, allowed residents to sue their local governments for non-enforcement, provoking fears that people with nowhere to sleep but the streets could face arrest.—
Max Klaver,
Miami Herald,
6 May 2026
-
Aliens, dystopian nightmares, and twisted realities are more than likely provoking a reaction from viewers that flies a lot closer to terrified.—
Grace Dean,
Space.com,
2 May 2026
Verb
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Brilliant knots of newborn stars, dark rivers of dust and glowing cavities carved by stellar winds combine to create a vivid portrait of galaxies in constant motion.—
Samantha Mathewson,
Space.com,
11 May 2026
-
Webb’s Mid-Infrared Instrument (MIRI) also reveals the cooler dust spread across the galaxy, glowing at longer wavelengths and shown in blue.—
Bojan Stojkovski,
Interesting Engineering,
10 May 2026
Verb
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Coach Natalie Nakase said this week that activating the Australian point guard will be a game-time decision.—
Nathan Canilao,
Mercury News,
8 May 2026
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The princess has done an amazing job at activating people's minds about the value and importance of this.—
Simon Perry,
PEOPLE,
6 May 2026
Verb
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Iranian officials are encouraging the population to consume less electricity and gas, as a US blockade has interrupted the flow of shipments to Iran.—
Mitchell McCluskey,
CNN Money,
9 May 2026
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Now there’s emphasis on offense, teaching it and coaching it and encouraging it.—
Fluto Shinzawa,
New York Times,
9 May 2026
Verb
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Senior Stanley Filiaga was the driving force of the Scorpions’ offense.—
Dan Rios,
Daily News,
10 May 2026
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Limited supplies are leading to higher prices The memory crunch is driving downstream cost increases that are weighing on the hyperscalers.—
Tobias Burns,
CNBC,
10 May 2026
Verb
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Desires run deep on April 28, as Venus in Gemini meets with Pluto in Aquarius, creating one of the most magnetic and intellectually stimulating trines of the season.—
Valerie Mesa,
PEOPLE,
28 Apr. 2026
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Key Takeaways Eating a small handful of arugula before meals may gently support digestion by stimulating digestive enzymes, stomach acid, and bile.—
Kathleen Ferraro,
Verywell Health,
24 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Sparking.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sparking. Accessed 12 May. 2026.
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