sparring

Definition of sparringnext
present participle of spar

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for sparring
Verb
  • Damon has been boxing nearly his entire life.
    Nina Burns, CBS News, 8 Jan. 2026
  • Doing the little things in practice, in terms of boxing out, in terms of talking, and in terms of being physical with each other.
    Brendan Connelly, Boston Herald, 6 Jan. 2026
Verb
  • Over the course of the novel, each Flynn girl is suspended from school at least once for some screwball infraction, including spreading conspiratorial theories about covert surveillance operations in town, punching another kid in the face, and preparing to commit an act of domestic terrorism.
    Hannah Gold, New Yorker, 21 Jan. 2026
  • Violence has become an increasing concern, with reports of patients punching and kicking nurses; in November, a gunman threatened to shoot up the Mount Sinai emergency department.
    Amy Feldman, Forbes.com, 21 Jan. 2026
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.

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Cite this Entry

“Sparring.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sparring. Accessed 23 Jan. 2026.

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