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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Recent Examples of sparking
Ramos and his father, Adrian Alexander Conejo Arias, were taken from their snowy suburban Minneapolis driveway last month to a family detention center in Dilley, Texas, sparking widespread outrage.
—
Ray Sanchez, CNN Money, 8 Feb. 2026
Inmates across the country have died or been hospitalized due to hypothermia, sparking lawsuits, criminal charges and watchdog reports that raise concerns about how well jails and prisons respond to the cold.
—N'dea Yancey-Bragg, USA Today, 8 Feb. 2026
While mushroom poisonings have been concentrated further north, word of the deaths and illnesses has trickled down to Southern California, sparking fear among those who are wary of the spongy wonders, said Rudy Diaz, president of the Los Angeles Mycological Society.
—Karen Garcia, Los Angeles Times, 8 Feb. 2026
The state ultimately spent more than $35 million to defeat Amendment 3, sparking outrage from those who said state money intended to help the public should not be used to influence an election.
—Jeffrey Schweers, The Orlando Sentinel, 8 Feb. 2026
The collaborative effort revealed that the specific pairing of the amino acids arginine and tyrosine acts as a chemical trigger, sparking the initial clustering of proteins that eventually form the solid fiber.
—Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 6 Feb. 2026
Chef Renee Touponce’s Oyster Club opened in 2011 and is often credited with sparking Mystic’s culinary renaissance through hyper-local sourcing.
—Cameron Sperance, Travel + Leisure, 6 Feb. 2026
Shinedown has pulled out of the Rock the Country festival, sparking backlash among their fan base.
—Janelle Ash, FOXNews.com, 6 Feb. 2026
In 2010, photos of the pair walking together in Central Park surfaced, sparking scrutiny.
—Kimberlee Speakman, PEOPLE, 31 Jan. 2026
Ray Sanchez, CNN Money, 8 Feb. 2026
Inmates across the country have died or been hospitalized due to hypothermia, sparking lawsuits, criminal charges and watchdog reports that raise concerns about how well jails and prisons respond to the cold.
—N'dea Yancey-Bragg, USA Today, 8 Feb. 2026
While mushroom poisonings have been concentrated further north, word of the deaths and illnesses has trickled down to Southern California, sparking fear among those who are wary of the spongy wonders, said Rudy Diaz, president of the Los Angeles Mycological Society.
—Karen Garcia, Los Angeles Times, 8 Feb. 2026
The state ultimately spent more than $35 million to defeat Amendment 3, sparking outrage from those who said state money intended to help the public should not be used to influence an election.
—Jeffrey Schweers, The Orlando Sentinel, 8 Feb. 2026
The collaborative effort revealed that the specific pairing of the amino acids arginine and tyrosine acts as a chemical trigger, sparking the initial clustering of proteins that eventually form the solid fiber.
—Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 6 Feb. 2026
Chef Renee Touponce’s Oyster Club opened in 2011 and is often credited with sparking Mystic’s culinary renaissance through hyper-local sourcing.
—Cameron Sperance, Travel + Leisure, 6 Feb. 2026
Shinedown has pulled out of the Rock the Country festival, sparking backlash among their fan base.
—Janelle Ash, FOXNews.com, 6 Feb. 2026
In 2010, photos of the pair walking together in Central Park surfaced, sparking scrutiny.
—Kimberlee Speakman, PEOPLE, 31 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for sparking
Verb
-
Representing the capital region in its third Puppy Bowl participation is tiny Gold Nugget, a teacup chihuahua with a personality as sparkling as her name.—
Bee staff
February 6,
Sacbee.com,
6 Feb. 2026
-
The whole home was recently renovated, offering guests sweet new amenities in just about every room—one being the gourmet kitchen, which features sparkling new appliances.—
Bailey Berg,
Architectural Digest,
6 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Paying the tax typically requires selling assets or borrowing against them, triggering capital gains taxes, leverage risks, and further distortions.—
Veronique De Rugy,
Oc Register,
5 Feb. 2026
-
Illnesses like the flu can also lead to dehydration, triggering headaches and other symptoms.—
Jillian Kubala,
Health,
5 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Officials’ insistence that citizens who record agents are provoking violent retribution is a justification for what is becoming a very literal war on truth.—
Jonathan Chait,
The Atlantic,
25 Jan. 2026
-
In the main event of SmackDown, Trick Williams defeated Damian Priest by DQ after provoking Sami Zayn.—
Alfred Konuwa,
Forbes.com,
24 Jan. 2026
Verb
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While the shower’s peak rate is a modest 20 meteors per hour, its swift, bright meteors often leave glowing trails.—
Jamie Carter,
Forbes.com,
25 Jan. 2026
-
Myths like the Paulding Light, a mysterious glowing orb that hovers over the train tracks just across the border.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
22 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
February begins quietly but powerfully with a full moon in Leo activating your 12th house, asking for closure, rest and emotional release.—
Valerie Mesa,
PEOPLE,
1 Feb. 2026
-
Exploration calls as pleasure-seeking Venus forms a quincunx to jovial Jupiter, activating your 9th House of Learning with a nudge to adjust expensive plans.—
Tarot.com,
Sun Sentinel,
31 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
The challenge lies in balancing functional benefit with the risk of encouraging unnecessary anthropomorphism and its broader social consequences.—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
8 Feb. 2026
-
This structure is intended to help keep value circulating within the community, encouraging positive participation rather than framing compliance as a penalty.—
Nia Bowers,
USA Today,
8 Feb. 2026
Verb
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The arrest report also stated that Ramirez-Mesa was driving at least twice the speed limit, which was 40 miles per hour.—
Ana Maria Soler,
CBS News,
7 Feb. 2026
-
Cops quickly determined the 42-year-old suspect was drunk behind the wheel and charged him with driving while intoxicated.—
Thomas Tracy,
New York Daily News,
7 Feb. 2026
Verb
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That’s because immigration helps revitalize neighborhoods by stimulating the local economy and strengthening community organization.—
Aubrey Jackson Soller,
Baltimore Sun,
3 Feb. 2026
-
Doing so requires stimulating the muscles in a way that encourages hypertrophy, or muscle growth.—
Daryl Austin,
USA Today,
1 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Sparking.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sparking. Accessed 10 Feb. 2026.
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