sparring

present participle of spar

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for sparring
Verb
  • The YouTuber-turned-boxer has been accused by a lot of people of damaging the sport by staging fights that are more bit than boxing.
    Fort Worth Star-Telegram, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 7 Nov. 2025
  • Black Bear’s inaugural outing as a distributor, Christy, starring Sydney Sweeney as boxing legend Christy Martin, opens at 2,000 locations with the film tracking for a circa $3 million weekend.
    Jill Goldsmith, Deadline, 7 Nov. 2025
Verb
  • Miami's defense has struggled to keep opponents out of the end zone, allowing 27 points per game, but the offense has struggled just as much punching it in themselves, with the Dolphins only scoring 20 points per game, both of which rank in the bottom third of the league.
    Shaun McAvoy, MSNBC Newsweek, 4 Nov. 2025
  • Videos shared on social media showed federal agents pinning a man to the ground and punching him in the head.
    Zoe Sottile, CNN Money, 3 Nov. 2025
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.

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Sparring.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sparring. Accessed 23 Nov. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on sparring

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!