1
as in to scant
to use or give out in stingy amounts
I'll have a banana split—and don't spare the whipped cream
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to save
to avoid unnecessary waste or expense
she had grown up during the Great Depression, so she was no stranger to sparing
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in extra
being over what is needed
I had some spare time to kill, so I cleaned up my cubicle a bit
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2
as in careful
giving or sharing as little as possible
a man who is kind and gentle but definitely spare of speech
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3
as in thin
having a noticeably small amount of body fat
a tall, spare man
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4
as in scarce
less plentiful than what is normal, necessary, or desirable
spare vegetation that made foraging very difficult
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as in backup
an interchangeable part or piece of equipment that is kept on hand for replacement of an original
we promptly replaced the burnt-out lightbulb with a spare
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Recent Examples of spare
Bennett Conlin, Baltimore Sun, 15 Aug. 2025
No one is spared the agony of the search or the disappointment of their find.
—Nicholas Pileggi, Curbed, 15 Aug. 2025
Clara McMahon, People.com, 5 Aug. 2025
Along with a cooler packed with ice and cold drinks, toss in your condiment bottles (or even spare packets from takeout) in case anyone needs to sauce up their snacks.
—Andrea Beck, Better Homes & Gardens, 2 Aug. 2025
Mark Phelan, USA Today, 7 Apr. 2025
There's also a stock of parts and spares, and a follow-up list of inventory in third-party warehouses that has had its value cut by 65% for the purpose of liquidation.
—New Atlas, 24 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for spare
Verb
Despite being in Maryland, Ogden wasn’t spared from interacting with Steelers fans.
—Bennett Conlin, Baltimore Sun, 15 Aug. 2025
No one is spared the agony of the search or the disappointment of their find.
—Nicholas Pileggi, Curbed, 15 Aug. 2025
Adjective
It’s covered in faux leather and has a super spacious interior pocket to store books, cosmetics bags, spare jackets, and more, according to the brand.
—Clara McMahon, People.com, 5 Aug. 2025
Along with a cooler packed with ice and cold drinks, toss in your condiment bottles (or even spare packets from takeout) in case anyone needs to sauce up their snacks.
—Andrea Beck, Better Homes & Gardens, 2 Aug. 2025
Noun
There’s plenty of head room in both rows of seats and a spacious cargo compartment that offers features including a rubber mat, dog-friendly package and a neat underfloor compartment that creates space for a full-size spare — something serious off-roaders demand.
—Mark Phelan, USA Today, 7 Apr. 2025
There's also a stock of parts and spares, and a follow-up list of inventory in third-party warehouses that has had its value cut by 65% for the purpose of liquidation.
—New Atlas, 24 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for spare
Recent Examples of Synonyms for spare
Verb
-
By scanting this complexity, Remnick leaves readers with a less than totally satisfying depiction of Obama's encounter with the world of black Chicago.—
Walter Russell Mead,
Foreign Affairs,
1 July 2010
-
Trump captured attention his first time around, in part, by talking about issues that other candidates scanted: the threat of China, chaos at the southern border.—
NR Editors,
National Review,
22 Dec. 2023
Verb
-
Then there was the money for our tickets, or lack of it, which was why there were Americans, whose fortnightly stays, during which they’d be given the full Scottish Country House experience, were to go towards the scheme for saving Craigmont.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
7 Aug. 2025
-
It’s become a reviewer-favorite for its wrinkle-free fabric, which will save time getting dressed in the morning.—
Rylee Johnston,
People.com,
7 Aug. 2025
Adjective
-
Superintendent Myriam Rogers said a union poll showed more teachers wanted to have a half-day on Thanksgiving than an extra day in the school year.—
Racquel Bazos,
Baltimore Sun,
13 Aug. 2025
-
Spectrum plans do not require contracts and include a modem at no extra charge.—
Kara McGinley,
USA Today,
12 Aug. 2025
Adjective
-
Navigating this revolution responsibly requires careful policy, support for adaptation and a focus on using technology to benefit people.—
Vaibhav Dani,
Forbes.com,
18 Aug. 2025
-
Be careful when handling debris that may have blown into your yard.—
CA Weather Bot,
Sacbee.com,
17 Aug. 2025
Adjective
-
The water pressure then causes the vehicle to rise and slide on a thin layer of water between the tires and the road, making the driver lose control.—
NC Weather Bot,
Charlotte Observer,
17 Aug. 2025
-
Details on the election process are thin, but many citizens could be casting their votes in an active conflict zone or under the eyes of armed soldiers – a terrifying prospect that some say could lead to more violence.—
Helen Regan,
CNN Money,
17 Aug. 2025
Adjective
-
Aid trucks stopped coming and ingredients that had once been scarce became almost impossible to find.—
Hamada Shaqoura,
Time,
7 Aug. 2025
-
Those casks are scarce too, but by contrast to the 1993/1994 Ardbeg parcel, they could almost be called common.—
Mark Littler,
Forbes.com,
5 Aug. 2025
Noun
-
Flood water and a sewage backup filled the basement of his business.—
Sophie Carson,
jsonline.com,
12 Aug. 2025
-
Again, these were the starters against Tampa Bay's backups, so take this with a gigantic grain of salt.—
Nick Suss,
Nashville Tennessean,
11 Aug. 2025
Verb
-
Hill’s thoughts were specifically about short-yardage situations, which would seem to be the most obvious place to cut back on the 191-pound speedster’s 281 touches in 2024 if Miami wanted to conserve him more while getting others involved.—
David Furones,
Sun Sentinel,
5 Aug. 2025
-
In this context, males with the longest sperm-delivering palp are most likely to succeed with insemination, and that lengthy trait appears valuable, as it's been conserved across all species to varying degrees.—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
3 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Spare.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/spare. Accessed 21 Aug. 2025.
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