as in austere
providing only the essentials and nothing fancy or luxurious
accommodations on the windjammer are spartan but clean and comfortable nevertheless
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Recent Examples of spartan
Freed from any sort of period accuracy, Davies tried to start the house in a spartan, memory-like state, as Cathy and Heathcliff would remember it from childhood.
—
Sarah Shachat, IndieWire, 18 Feb. 2026
Yes, rooms are small, but the furniture and layout maximizes space in smart not spartan ways.
—Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 30 Jan. 2026
In one corner stood a spartan single bed, in the other a small woodstove.
—Michael Pollan, The Atlantic, 26 Jan. 2026
Frank unpacks with military precision and quickly makes the spartan space his own; neat but unfussy.
—Damon Wise, Deadline, 25 Jan. 2026
On Thursday mornings, my high school’s upper grades gathered in our meetinghouse—a spartan, Italianate-style building whose wooden benches bore the etchings of a century and a half of antsy pencils and fingernails—and, for an hour, sat in near-total silence.
—Walden Green, Pitchfork, 22 Jan. 2026
Better is Danny Elfman’s spartan and fraught score, particularly the dyspeptic drums.
—Amy Nicholson, Los Angeles Times, 8 Jan. 2026
Gottlieb believes the spartan ethos of improv made a big mark on his former housemate.
—Cynthia Littleton, Variety, 18 Dec. 2025
Unlike those relatively spartan facilities, however, the Astrodome had cushioned seats for all patrons, instead of hard ones.
—John Seabrook, New Yorker, 1 Dec. 2025
Sarah Shachat, IndieWire, 18 Feb. 2026
Yes, rooms are small, but the furniture and layout maximizes space in smart not spartan ways.
—Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 30 Jan. 2026
In one corner stood a spartan single bed, in the other a small woodstove.
—Michael Pollan, The Atlantic, 26 Jan. 2026
Frank unpacks with military precision and quickly makes the spartan space his own; neat but unfussy.
—Damon Wise, Deadline, 25 Jan. 2026
On Thursday mornings, my high school’s upper grades gathered in our meetinghouse—a spartan, Italianate-style building whose wooden benches bore the etchings of a century and a half of antsy pencils and fingernails—and, for an hour, sat in near-total silence.
—Walden Green, Pitchfork, 22 Jan. 2026
Better is Danny Elfman’s spartan and fraught score, particularly the dyspeptic drums.
—Amy Nicholson, Los Angeles Times, 8 Jan. 2026
Gottlieb believes the spartan ethos of improv made a big mark on his former housemate.
—Cynthia Littleton, Variety, 18 Dec. 2025
Unlike those relatively spartan facilities, however, the Astrodome had cushioned seats for all patrons, instead of hard ones.
—John Seabrook, New Yorker, 1 Dec. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for spartan
Adjective
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Nishihata’s modern take on the austere Japanese garden is complimented by colorful florals by another local plant genius, Makoto Azuma.—
Kelly Wetherille,
Footwear News,
18 Feb. 2026
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The preference for fish is given because, according to Catholic tradition, it is considered an austere food and has a broad meaning in the biblical story of the loaves and fishes, as well as in the fact that four of the 12 disciples chosen by Jesus were fishermen.—
Nadia Cantú,
AZCentral.com,
18 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
That simple sentiment distills what being a Louisianan is about.—
Carlie Procell,
USA Today,
18 Feb. 2026
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No doubt history would be very different if a citizen’s duty was simple obeyance.—
DP Opinion,
Denver Post,
18 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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Others are content with a no-frills cabin in the woods and a bit of peace and quiet.—
Irenie Forshaw,
TheWeek,
10 Feb. 2026
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Founded in 2021, PopUp is known for its no-frills menu of just bagels and schmears.—
Pam Kragen,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
10 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
Then, a viral essay from a tech CEO swept the internet with stark declarations about how AI could disrupt jobs.—
Hadas Gold,
CNN Money,
17 Feb. 2026
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Horses have always symbolized movement, independence and forward momentum — a stark contrast to the slower, more strategic energy of last year’s Snake.—
Yiling Pan,
Vogue,
17 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Spartan.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/spartan. Accessed 20 Feb. 2026.
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