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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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
Frank Nunns O'Connell 15 Hr Ago, CNN Money, 24 Oct. 2025
The post sparked a backlash in the Philippines, where the average monthly wage is less than a fifth of that sum.
—Melanie Goodfellow, Deadline, 24 Oct. 2025
Jenna Ryu, SELF, 22 Oct. 2025
In an interview with Fortune, Stéphane Séjourné, Executive Vice-President for Prosperity and Industrial Strategy of the European Commission, credits the Draghi report for igniting a spark throughout the Commission.
—Jessica Jurkschat, Fortune, 22 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for spark
Verb
With seven seconds remaining in the fourth quarter and the Thunder leading 113-111, the Cameroonian forward stepped back over Oklahoma City center Chet Holmgren to sink a high-arching, 22-foot jumper that sparked a roar from the Indiana crowd.
—Frank Nunns O'Connell 15 Hr Ago, CNN Money, 24 Oct. 2025
The post sparked a backlash in the Philippines, where the average monthly wage is less than a fifth of that sum.
—Melanie Goodfellow, Deadline, 24 Oct. 2025
Noun
At its core, the connection reading sparks is deeply personal.
—Jenna Ryu, SELF, 22 Oct. 2025
In an interview with Fortune, Stéphane Séjourné, Executive Vice-President for Prosperity and Industrial Strategy of the European Commission, credits the Draghi report for igniting a spark throughout the Commission.
—Jessica Jurkschat, Fortune, 22 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for spark
Recent Examples of Synonyms for spark
Verb
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Tapped as the sixth man in the opener, being summoned off the bench before anyone else, Sexton sparkled in his Hornets’debut.—
Roderick Boone,
Charlotte Observer,
23 Oct. 2025
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But its 2019 refresh solidified its spot by proving that relaxing a bit — while maintaining its sparkling service and elevated dishes — doesn't mean sacrificing a sterling reputation.—
Rachel Bernhard,
jsonline.com,
22 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Trading below $1 over a consecutive 30 trading-day period triggers a warning.—
Annie Palmer,
CNBC,
28 Oct. 2025
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The election was triggered in June when Wilders abruptly withdrew support from the governing coalition, accusing his partners of blocking his proposal to halt all asylum migration.—
Callum Sutherland,
Time,
28 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Not retaining his services would have provoked outrage.—
James Pearce,
New York Times,
23 Oct. 2025
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But the forcefulness of pastors' rhetoric about Kirk has provoked conflicting feelings for some believers.—
Taylor Seely,
AZCentral.com,
22 Oct. 2025
Noun
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The small glimmer of hope, though, is home price growth appears to be slowing, according to the Case-Shiller indices.—
Sydney Lake,
Fortune,
27 Oct. 2025
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However, fans got a small glimmer of hope on Friday when Jackson was upgraded to a full participant in practice after being limited on Wednesday and Thursday.—
Michael Gallagher,
MSNBC Newsweek,
25 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Shaped like glowing maple leaves, the six-piece set brings all the cozy fall vibes while brightening up driveways, walkways, and garden paths.—
Mariana Best,
Better Homes & Gardens,
25 Oct. 2025
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The Emerald Cave glows bright green when sunlight hits the water just right.—
Evie Carrick,
Travel + Leisure,
25 Oct. 2025
Verb
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The moon activating Neptune puts you in daydream mode.—
USA TODAY,
USA Today,
26 Oct. 2025
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The fat overload in astrocytes and microglia activates inflammatory pathways.—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
26 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Ultimately, the moment encouraged the Soviet population to agitate for household comforts.—
Justin Worland,
Time,
24 Oct. 2025
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Building a bat house can encourage them to stick around a little longer and eat up all those pesky insects.—
Kirsten Fiscus,
Nashville Tennessean,
24 Oct. 2025
Noun
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The slide created a gargantuan splash – a hyper-local, but massive tsunami that ran up the opposite mountain slope, leveling everything in its path as high as the Empire State Building.—
Ella Nilsen,
CNN Money,
22 Oct. 2025
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Try it with a splash of milk and a drizzle of honey.—
Jillian Kubala,
Health,
22 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Spark.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/spark. Accessed 29 Oct. 2025.
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