Synonyms of sparking

sparking

verb

present participle of spark

1

as in sparkling

to give off sparks

the broken radio sparked and smoked the instant it was plugged in

Synonyms & Similar Words

• sparkling
• glowing
• flashing
• shining
• burning
• scintillating
• blazing
• twinkling
• flaming
• radiating
• lighting (up)
• combusting
• flaring (up)

2

as in triggering

to cause to function

interesting questions that are designed to spark the reader's brain

Synonyms & Similar Words

• triggering
• activating
• driving
• generating
• powering
• igniting
• moving
• fueling
• starting
• provoking
• running
• charging
• pushing
• setting off
• actuating
• firing
• cranking (up)
• turning on
• touching off
• electrifying
• launching
• stimulating
• energizing
• switching
• releasing
• inciting
• discharging
• arousing
• tripping
• reactivating
• exciting
• accelerating
• turning over
• instigating
• catalyzing
• recharging
• vitalizing
• kicking over
• quickening
• kick-starting
• jump-starting
• stirring up
• speeding (up)
• stepping up

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• killing
• cutting
• stopping
• checking
• cutting out
• sticking
• shutting off
• arresting
• halting
• turning off
• stalling
• braking
• cutting off
• jamming
• suppressing
• drawing up
• slowing
• deactivating
• repressing
• decelerating
• stunting

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

• provoking
• encouraging
• stimulating
• stirring
• arousing
• inciting
• inspiring
• moving
• instigating
• exciting
• triggering
• motivating
• igniting
• driving
• inducing
• firing (up)
• revving (up)
• piquing
• impassioning
• fanning
• motiving
• galvanizing
• inflaming
• activating
• building a fire under
• kindling
• energizing
• angering
• fomenting
• animating
• quickening
• vitalizing
• bothering
• enraging
• setting off
• fermenting
• keying (up)
• raising
• upsetting
• abetting
• teasing
• whipping (up)
• taunting
• pumping up
• jeering
• getting
• maddening
• irritating
• aggravating
• annoying
• exasperating
• vexing
• galling

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• calming
• soothing
• subduing
• tranquilizing
• appeasing
• pacifying
• placating
• mollifying

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of sparking

The operation has come under scrutiny, sparking questions as to whether those left on the decoy plane presumed to still be carrying the President were at risk. — Tiago Ventura, Time, 12 Aug. 2026

Once a quiet Mediterranean fishing village, Saint-Tropez exploded into a global hot spot in the 1950s, sparking a massive, decades-long surge in tourism, the National Geographic reported. — Andrea Margolis, FOXNews.com, 12 Aug. 2026

Frazier said that the woman was known to frequently walk around the neighborhood sparking up small talk. — Stephen Swanson, CBS News, 12 Aug. 2026

Over the past year, a wave of imitators loaded public-company balance sheets with cryptocurrencies in hopes of sparking stock rallies, but that trade has since soured. — Camila Grigera Naón, Fortune, 10 Aug. 2026

Dangerously hot temperatures, dry conditions, and severe thunderstorms are expected to sweep across much of the United States this week, sparking heightened risk of wildfires and flash flooding in some regions, according to meteorologists. — Karissa Waddick, USA Today, 10 Aug. 2026

The order is already sparking pushback from the medical and public health communities, which have continued to reiterate decades of studies showing the safety and efficacy of the childhood vaccine schedule and vaccines more broadly. — Michelle Stoddart, ABC News, 10 Aug. 2026

The man accused of sparking the biggest of three wildfires in Spokane, Washington, has a long history of mental health issues and previously pleaded guilty in the killing of his father, according to court records obtained by NBC News. — Emanuella Grinberg, NBC news, 4 Aug. 2026

Getty Images YouTuber Hank Green ignited controversy after using generative AI for video production, sparking backlash from fans. — Dani Di Placido, Forbes.com, 4 Aug. 2026