1
as in to sparkle
to give off sparks
the broken radio sparked and smoked the instant it was plugged in
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
2
as in to trigger
to cause to function
interesting questions that are designed to spark the reader's brain
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in to provoke
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 glimmer
a very small amount
not a spark of interest in the actress's memoirs
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Examples 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 spark
John Miller, CNN, 11 Dec. 2024
The montage skips between topics ranging from the rise of hateful authoritarians around the world and Carax’s shortcomings as a father to the Hitchcock films that sparked his lifelong fascination with POV shots.
—Christian Zilko, IndieWire, 10 Dec. 2024
Joe Arruda, Hartford Courant, 5 Dec. 2024
Denver trailed 109-98 with 6:13 remaining but got a spark from Michael Porter Jr.’s four-point play, his only made three in a 22-point night.
—Bennett Durando, The Denver Post, 3 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for spark 
Verb
The fatal shooting outside an investors’ conference sparked an exhaustive search, with New York police combing the city for evidence and poring through thousands of hours of video footage.
—John Miller, CNN, 11 Dec. 2024
The montage skips between topics ranging from the rise of hateful authoritarians around the world and Carax’s shortcomings as a father to the Hitchcock films that sparked his lifelong fascination with POV shots.
—Christian Zilko, IndieWire, 10 Dec. 2024
Noun
On the other basket, UConn’s offense needed a spark.
—Joe Arruda, Hartford Courant, 5 Dec. 2024
Denver trailed 109-98 with 6:13 remaining but got a spark from Michael Porter Jr.’s four-point play, his only made three in a 22-point night.
—Bennett Durando, The Denver Post, 3 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for spark
Recent Examples of Synonyms for spark
Verb
-
Lastly, feel your best knowing your skin sparkles like Edward Cullen.Kleigh Balugo, StyleCaster, 11 Dec. 2024
-
The bar will also be serving up sparkling champagne, classic martinis and more.Ana Gutierrez, Austin American-Statesman, 11 Dec. 2024
Verb
-
Either of these changes can trigger tire pressure warnings in newer vehicles, but Koulloukian says not to panic.Hayleigh Evans, The Arizona Republic, 7 Dec. 2024
-
Her downfall triggered the implosion of the party and a victory by liberals in presidential and general elections.Cynthia Kim, USA TODAY, 7 Dec. 2024
Verb
-
For family offices, there’s a parallel to be drawn: surveys and polls can provoke different emotions depending on how they’re framed and presented.Francois Botha, Forbes, 8 Dec. 2024
-
That decision would provoke in turn Russian countermeasures, perhaps nuclear.Shane Croucher, Newsweek, 7 Dec. 2024
Noun
-
But the findings offer a glimmer of hope amid growing concerns about the impacts of climate change on the Antarctic.Thomas G. Moukawsher, Newsweek, 13 Dec. 2024
-
In recent years, conservation efforts have provided glimmers of hope.Scott Travers, Forbes, 6 Dec. 2024
Verb
-
However, for Chiquis, the sheen of these triumphs glows within a transformative darkness.Edward Segarra, USA TODAY, 11 Dec. 2024
-
Trump's transition also released what essentially amounted to a hype video Tuesday, touting some senators' glowing remarks about Hegseth.Tal Axelrod, ABC News, 10 Dec. 2024
Verb
-
In most cases, the memo said, home alarm systems were not activated and most of the homes were unoccupied at the time.Sara Ruberg, New York Times, 12 Dec. 2024
-
When the fire broke out the night of Dec. 9, school officials started communicating with students around 11 p.m. and activated the shelter-in-place protocol about two hours later, spreading the word through text messages, email, social media, and by going door to door.Amy Taxin and Eric Thayer, The Christian Science Monitor, 11 Dec. 2024
Verb
-
If a person has a bad reaction to a vaccine, federal officials encourage reporting to the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System, which is part of the Department of Health and Human Services.Eduardo Cuevas, USA TODAY, 14 Dec. 2024
-
Major cities including Shanghai and Beijing are launching a new round of voucher programs to encourage local consumption before the holidays, also lifting sentiment.Eleanor Pringle, Fortune Asia, 13 Dec. 2024
Noun
-
This buttery dough yields a final texture somewhere between a shortbread and a sugar cookie, and a splash of almond extract is the secret to its robust depth of flavor.Catherine Jessee, Southern Living, 8 Dec. 2024
-
Or even take it off the heat as per written and then possibly just doctor it up with a splash more cream or something.Bon Appétit, Bon Appétit, 5 Dec. 2024
Thesaurus Entries Near spark
Cite this Entry
“Spark.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/spark. Accessed 21 Dec. 2024.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share