1
as in to sparkle
to give off sparks
the broken radio sparked and smoked the instant it was plugged in
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2
as in to trigger
to cause to function
interesting questions that are designed to spark the reader's brain
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in to provoke
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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as in glimmer
a very small amount
not a spark of interest in the actress's memoirs
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of spark
Betsy Helfand, Twin Cities, 13 Aug. 2025
Scottie Scheffler's dominance in men's golf has sparked comparisons to Tiger Woods more than once.
—Devlina Sarkar, MSNBC Newsweek, 13 Aug. 2025
Tim Britton, New York Times, 22 Aug. 2025
While a nozzle malfunction on one of the two solid-rocket boosters sent up a shower of sparks 38 seconds after liftoff, the mission was still deemed a success.
—Eric Lagatta, USA Today, 13 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for spark
Verb
Still, the decision has sparked some outrage among those in a fanbase that have been disappointed with the product on the field and have become disillusioned with ownership, particularly in recent years.
—Betsy Helfand, Twin Cities, 13 Aug. 2025
Scottie Scheffler's dominance in men's golf has sparked comparisons to Tiger Woods more than once.
—Devlina Sarkar, MSNBC Newsweek, 13 Aug. 2025
Noun
His debut Saturday provided a spark for the Mets: 5 1/3 scoreless innings, two hits and eight strikeouts in a win over the Seattle Mariners.
—Tim Britton, New York Times, 22 Aug. 2025
While a nozzle malfunction on one of the two solid-rocket boosters sent up a shower of sparks 38 seconds after liftoff, the mission was still deemed a success.
—Eric Lagatta, USA Today, 13 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for spark
Recent Examples of Synonyms for spark
Verb
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Manning came on and sparkled (9-for-12, 223 yards, 5 total TDs) in a blowout.—
Tom Layberger,
Forbes.com,
19 Aug. 2025
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Handwritten place cards, soft background music, and a welcome drink of sparkling water or champagne upon arrival—these are the elements that will make your gathering truly memorable.—
Cori Sears,
Better Homes & Gardens,
19 Aug. 2025
Verb
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Red giants and massive stars aren't generally associated with phenomena that could trigger such an outburst.—
Robert Lea,
Space.com,
22 Aug. 2025
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Or a dormant service account suddenly becoming active might trigger a review.—
Craig Davies,
Forbes.com,
22 Aug. 2025
Verb
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The defense also claimed that the two men Kemp shot at provoked the shooting by stealing Kemp’s truck, his cellphone and memorabilia in Seattle.—
Dave Smith,
Fortune,
24 Aug. 2025
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The work had been set to appear in Sherald’s solo exhibition at the National Portrait Gallery; on learning that the museum wished to remove the painting from the show to avoid provoking Trump, the artist canceled the exhibition.—
News Desk,
Artforum,
22 Aug. 2025
Noun
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Starboard’s intentions this time around aren’t clear — the firm didn’t respond to CNBC’s request for comment — but its maneuvering nevertheless represents a glimmer of hope.—
Natasha Abellard,
CNBC,
15 Aug. 2025
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But the nearest thing to a glimmer of a positive would be that the fast development of COVID-19 vaccines helped prevent many more deaths and led to rapid progress in our understanding and use of mRNA technology.—
Simon Williams,
Time,
15 Aug. 2025
Verb
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Flaky croissants warm in glowing bakeries, accordion notes drift through the air, and lovers linger by the Seine.—
Lewis Nunn,
Forbes.com,
14 Aug. 2025
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The Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts will glow orange, as well.—
Kansas City Star,
Kansas City Star,
13 Aug. 2025
Verb
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For now, Edwards-Helaire will wait for an injury or an unexpected roster move to clear the way for him to be activated to the 53-man active roster.—
Matt Wadleigh,
MSNBC Newsweek,
27 Aug. 2025
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Within days of the recent and devastating Los Angeles wildfires in January, the company activated catastrophe pay and distributed CUP Fund grants to help partners cover urgent needs.—
Simon Mainwaring,
Forbes.com,
27 Aug. 2025
Verb
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Mark Armstrong: Traveling to a stunningly remote location encourages you to look inward.—
Jim Clash,
Forbes.com,
30 Aug. 2025
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Those who experienced the earthquake are encouraged to report it through the USGS Felt Report form.—
CA Earthquake Bot,
Sacbee.com,
29 Aug. 2025
Noun
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After the service, there will be bounce houses and a splash pad for recreation, and S&T Too Pizza, Damo’s Dogs, and Day Dreams & Ice Cream will be on site for purchase.—
Post-Tribune,
Chicago Tribune,
22 Aug. 2025
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Kids and their families enjoyed water games, a splash pad, pool time, giveaways and swag bags, and cool treats and snacks.—
Jessica Tzikas,
Sun Sentinel,
18 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Spark.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/spark. Accessed 2 Sep. 2025.
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