1
as in sparkles
to give off sparks
the broken radio sparked and smoked the instant it was plugged in
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
2
as in triggers
to cause to function
interesting questions that are designed to spark the reader's brain
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in provokes
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
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in splashes
a very small amount
not a spark of interest in the actress's memoirs
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of sparks
Fox News, 26 Dec. 2024
High-value content educates customers, sparks meaningful conversations and builds community.
—Nitin Gupta, Forbes, 26 Dec. 2024
Continue reading … PARTING GIFT – Biden’s decision to commute sentences for death row inmates sparks social media frenzy.
—Fox News, 24 Dec. 2024
That vulnerability sparks closeness and connection.
—Kevin Kruse, Forbes, 19 Dec. 2024
The key is to build a vibrant culture that sparks collaboration, fuels innovation and enhances overall engagement within the workplace.
—Nick Romito, Forbes, 12 Dec. 2024
This design choice highlights the robot’s internal mechanisms and sparks discussions about the nature of humanity and the potential of artificial intelligence.
—Kaif Shaikh, Interesting Engineering, 10 Dec. 2024
This period of reflection and renewal often sparks the desire for professional growth, but making such a significant shift requires thoughtful consideration and strategic planning to ensure a successful transition.
—Jack Kelly, Forbes, 9 Dec. 2024
Her mother, Mary Jo (Jane Drake Brody), is an alcoholic who later has a stroke that sparks violent behavior, requiring long-term hospitalization.
—Mary McNamara, Los Angeles Times, 9 Dec. 2024
Verb
Take the quiz here … BAGGAGE BATTLES – Traveler's social media post on 'overhead bin ownership' sparks debate.
—Fox News, 26 Dec. 2024
High-value content educates customers, sparks meaningful conversations and builds community.
—Nitin Gupta, Forbes, 26 Dec. 2024
Continue reading … PARTING GIFT – Biden’s decision to commute sentences for death row inmates sparks social media frenzy.
—Fox News, 24 Dec. 2024
That vulnerability sparks closeness and connection.
—Kevin Kruse, Forbes, 19 Dec. 2024
The key is to build a vibrant culture that sparks collaboration, fuels innovation and enhances overall engagement within the workplace.
—Nick Romito, Forbes, 12 Dec. 2024
This design choice highlights the robot’s internal mechanisms and sparks discussions about the nature of humanity and the potential of artificial intelligence.
—Kaif Shaikh, Interesting Engineering, 10 Dec. 2024
This period of reflection and renewal often sparks the desire for professional growth, but making such a significant shift requires thoughtful consideration and strategic planning to ensure a successful transition.
—Jack Kelly, Forbes, 9 Dec. 2024
Her mother, Mary Jo (Jane Drake Brody), is an alcoholic who later has a stroke that sparks violent behavior, requiring long-term hospitalization.
—Mary McNamara, Los Angeles Times, 9 Dec. 2024
Recent Examples of Synonyms for sparks
Verb
-
Rather than engaging the entire model for every request, MoE selectively activates specialised expert models, reducing computational strain while maintaining performance.—
Cloris Chen,
Forbes,
24 Mar. 2025
-
Exhale fully, drawing your lower ribs in toward each other as your core activates and your rib cage moves down.—
Dana Santas,
CNN,
23 Mar. 2025
Verb
-
Pruning also stimulates branching, which encourages more flowers.—
Arricca Elin SanSone,
Southern Living,
16 Mar. 2025
-
Joe Kauffman, Texas regional vice president for System Pavers, encourages homeowners to look for intimate hangout niches in their yards.—
Lauren Jones,
Southern Living,
15 Mar. 2025
Verb
-
Johnson immediately lets out an expletive and quickly drives past the animal.—
Brayden Garcia,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
11 Apr. 2025
-
For example, a lack of government buy-in and support means insurance companies aren’t as likely to cover genetic screening, which drives up costs and puts tests out of reach for many patients.—
Tyler Shepherd,
USA Today,
10 Apr. 2025
Verb
-
However, the treatment stimulates the production of collagen and the growth of smoother, more even skin.—
Lindsay Curtis,
Health,
4 Jan. 2025
-
This stimulates autophagy and detox enzymes, resulting in a deep cleansing of the cells and tissue.—
Dan Perry,
Newsweek,
4 Jan. 2025
Verb
-
Meanwhile, the lead character has to deal with his parents, sister, a new friend at school and a peculiar older boy who stirs perplexing feelings in him.—
Murtada Elfadl,
Variety,
23 Dec. 2024
-
Even an eventual death in the family stirs no major histrionics.—
Dennis Harvey,
Variety,
21 Dec. 2024
Noun
-
Both surround themselves with loyalist underlings who do little to challenge their decisions.—
Ann Scott Tyson,
Christian Science Monitor,
15 Apr. 2025
-
Shop jewelry, dress-up pieces, crafts—like this beading kit—for littles of all ages.—
Perrie Samotin,
Glamour,
31 Mar. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Sparks.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sparks. Accessed 4 May. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share