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
Fire risk is declining somewhat after wildfires in Oklahoma spread quickly across the state this week, causing thousands of acres of damage and sparking short evacuations.
—
Cheyenne Derksen, Oklahoman, 21 Feb. 2026
The Clippers trailed 72-65 at the break and found themselves down by 16 in the third quarter, but Mathurin scored nine points in the third, sparking a 17-1 run as the visitors erased their deficit and kept the game close the rest of the way.
—Benjamin Royer, Oc Register, 21 Feb. 2026
Over the past week, a slew of cinematic videos of celebrities and characters in absurd situations have gone viral online, with one commonality –– they were created using a new artificial intelligence tool from Chinese developer ByteDance, sparking anxiety over the fast-evolving capabilities of AI.
—Stephanie Yang, CNN Money, 20 Feb. 2026
Infrastructure challenges — including a lack of on-site electricity — forced the city to rely on diesel generators, drawing complaints from neighbors and sparking a lawsuit.
—Jeffrey Kopp,kate Rogers, CNBC, 20 Feb. 2026
The recent headlines from Camber have only contributed to the winter gloom – a recent environmental disaster made the news after millions of plastic microbeads were discovered scattered across the endless dunes sparking a massive clean-up effort.
—Felicity Capon, TheWeek, 19 Feb. 2026
The October demolition of the East Wing bypassed typical historic preservation reviews, congressional approval and public comment, sparking intense opposition.
—Darlene Superville, Los Angeles Times, 19 Feb. 2026
Indian university Galgotias was asked to vacate its stall after a staff member presented a commercially available robotic dog made in China as its own creation, sparking a public uproar.
—Aditya Soni, USA Today, 19 Feb. 2026
After first sparking dating rumors last July, the singer and the former Canadian Prime Minister made their public debut as a couple on Perry’s 41st birthday in Paris on October 25; the two became Instagram official on December 6 and haven’t been shy about their relationship since.
—Rachel Burchfield, InStyle, 19 Feb. 2026
Cheyenne Derksen, Oklahoman, 21 Feb. 2026
The Clippers trailed 72-65 at the break and found themselves down by 16 in the third quarter, but Mathurin scored nine points in the third, sparking a 17-1 run as the visitors erased their deficit and kept the game close the rest of the way.
—Benjamin Royer, Oc Register, 21 Feb. 2026
Over the past week, a slew of cinematic videos of celebrities and characters in absurd situations have gone viral online, with one commonality –– they were created using a new artificial intelligence tool from Chinese developer ByteDance, sparking anxiety over the fast-evolving capabilities of AI.
—Stephanie Yang, CNN Money, 20 Feb. 2026
Infrastructure challenges — including a lack of on-site electricity — forced the city to rely on diesel generators, drawing complaints from neighbors and sparking a lawsuit.
—Jeffrey Kopp,kate Rogers, CNBC, 20 Feb. 2026
The recent headlines from Camber have only contributed to the winter gloom – a recent environmental disaster made the news after millions of plastic microbeads were discovered scattered across the endless dunes sparking a massive clean-up effort.
—Felicity Capon, TheWeek, 19 Feb. 2026
The October demolition of the East Wing bypassed typical historic preservation reviews, congressional approval and public comment, sparking intense opposition.
—Darlene Superville, Los Angeles Times, 19 Feb. 2026
Indian university Galgotias was asked to vacate its stall after a staff member presented a commercially available robotic dog made in China as its own creation, sparking a public uproar.
—Aditya Soni, USA Today, 19 Feb. 2026
After first sparking dating rumors last July, the singer and the former Canadian Prime Minister made their public debut as a couple on Perry’s 41st birthday in Paris on October 25; the two became Instagram official on December 6 and haven’t been shy about their relationship since.
—Rachel Burchfield, InStyle, 19 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for sparking
Verb
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Each room is equipped with a pantry and fridge stocked with snacks like popcorn, nuts, cookies, sparkling water, and soda, which are available for purchase.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
20 Feb. 2026
-
The designer said he was inspired by all the colors — yellow, pink, beige and orange — sparkling from the building’s windows at sunset last summer, and approached the owners with the idea of staging a show there.—
Samantha Conti,
Footwear News,
20 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Even the smallest black dot of mold can affect your health by causing respiratory illnesses or triggering certain allergic reactions from breathing it in constantly.—
Ashlyn Needham,
Southern Living,
19 Feb. 2026
-
In cannabis hyperemesis syndrome, researchers believe higher and repeated doses of cannabis push the endocannabinoid system too far, triggering nausea, vomiting and relentless abdominal pain, according to Johns Hopkins All Children’s Hospital in Florida.—
Tribune News Service,
Baltimore Sun,
19 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Her style is confrontational and seemingly fearless, often provoking hugely divergent reactions from critics and fans.—
Emily Zemler,
Los Angeles Times,
11 Feb. 2026
-
Chris Young’s Beyond Earth column explores the intersection of space technology and policy, providing thought-provoking commentary on the latest advancements and regulatory developments in the sector.—
Chris Young,
Interesting Engineering,
9 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Despite debuting less than a month ago, this matching set has already earned glowing feedback from Amazon shoppers.—
Olivia Young,
Travel + Leisure,
16 Feb. 2026
-
The reviews for this easy jambalaya recipe are glowing.—
Patricia S York,
Southern Living,
16 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Your attitude in activating the protocol is an example of courage and dignity.—
Dermot Corrigan,
New York Times,
18 Feb. 2026
-
For Theory’s fall collection, the designer is activating the old New York nostalgia that solidified the ’90s.—
James Manso,
Footwear News,
18 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Someone in the video is heard encouraging Hellebuyck to respond to the president.—
Washington Examiner Staff,
The Washington Examiner,
23 Feb. 2026
-
Fiery Mars leaps into a supportive sextile to healing Chiron, encouraging us to make the first move in mending strained bonds of any type.—
Tarot.com,
New York Daily News,
22 Feb. 2026
Verb
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The congresswoman said Rafael had been detained by ICE agents after a routine inspection while driving a commercial cargo truck in Louisiana.—
Michael Rios,
CNN Money,
22 Feb. 2026
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Tutash Express and Sam Express in the Chicago area were also disqualified, and the Aydana driving school that the trucker involved in the crash attended lost its certification.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
21 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Your 3rd House of Communication receives a stimulating Solar Eclipse, creating a fresh channel for neighborhood ties and the everyday conversations that keep life moving.—
Tarot.com,
Chicago Tribune,
17 Feb. 2026
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Key Takeaways Dandelion tea helps digestion and gut health by protecting liver health, stimulating bile production, and supporting a healthy microbiome (community of microbes in the gut).—
Cory Martin,
Verywell Health,
17 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Sparking.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sparking. Accessed 24 Feb. 2026.
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