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
Seth Borenstein, Los Angeles Times, 1 June 2025
In Orlo Vista, Williams hopes Orange County’s recent improvements to the stormwater drainage systems will help spare her neighborhood from flooding this year.
—Martin E. Comas, The Orlando Sentinel, 1 June 2025
Alisha Haridasani Gupta, New York Times, 31 May 2025
Reviving an extinct species isn’t like assembling a model from spare parts.
—Elay Shech, The Conversation, 30 May 2025
New Atlas, 24 Mar. 2025
Because their visitors were man-for-man, whoever pressed Ederson would leave a player spare.
—Liam Tharme, The Athletic, 16 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for spare
Verb
Climate & Environment As climate hazards worsen, Trump moves to weaken FEMA and shift disaster response onto states
May 14, 2025
But the National Hurricane Center, which tracks and warns of hurricanes in the Atlantic, Pacific and Caribbean, has been spared.
—Seth Borenstein, Los Angeles Times, 1 June 2025
In Orlo Vista, Williams hopes Orange County’s recent improvements to the stormwater drainage systems will help spare her neighborhood from flooding this year.
—Martin E. Comas, The Orlando Sentinel, 1 June 2025
Adjective
In any spare minute, Ms. Modi looked up ingredients, researched infant nutritional science and examined how the existing formula brands functioned.
—Alisha Haridasani Gupta, New York Times, 31 May 2025
Reviving an extinct species isn’t like assembling a model from spare parts.
—Elay Shech, The Conversation, 30 May 2025
Noun
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
Because their visitors were man-for-man, whoever pressed Ederson would leave a player spare.
—Liam Tharme, The Athletic, 16 Feb. 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
-
The kit will save you room and money on refills throughout the frame's 20-year life span cutting disposable waste by 20%.—
Adam Mills,
MSNBC Newsweek,
28 May 2025
-
His defensive metrics rank among the worst out of all qualified third basemen, with -7 outs above average and -8 defensive runs saved.—
Abbey Mastracco,
New York Daily News,
28 May 2025
Adjective
-
Together the pair had celebrated by planting a Barcelona flag in the middle of the pitch, a moment and an image that has taken on extra significance since Xana’s death six years ago.—
Ben Church,
CNN Money,
1 June 2025
-
In the seventh, Loftin atoned for his aggressive baserunning by robbing Riley Greene of extra bases with a diving catch.—
Jaylon Thompson,
Kansas City Star,
1 June 2025
Adjective
-
Watch out for slippery roads: Be extra careful during the first half hour after rain begins.—
Bay Area Weather Report,
Mercury News,
7 June 2025
-
But as the Trump administration has rolled out immigration policies targeting Venezuelans, Haitians and Cubans, GOP officials in Miami have had to draw a careful balance between supporting the White House and the many immigrants in their district affected by Trump’s immigration agenda.—
Jacqueline Charles,
Miami Herald,
6 June 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,
7 June 2025
-
The lines between competitive stubbornness and plain old stubbornness, a healthy arrogance and prideful ignorance are pretty thin.—
Will Graves,
The Orlando Sentinel,
6 June 2025
Adjective
-
In a job market where interviews are scarce and searches can stretch for months, Marino-Briggs was struck by how often candidates arrived unprepared.—
Julia Korn,
Forbes.com,
26 May 2025
-
In a year where momentum is scarce, NASCAR’s 600-mile test provides a chance to put some distance between the good and the great.—
Shane Connuck,
Charlotte Observer,
23 May 2025
Noun
-
Master Lock Portable Small Lock Box $24 $18 at Amazon Not every hotel room has a safe, and this portable lock box is a solid backup.—
Aly Walansky,
Travel + Leisure,
1 June 2025
-
Having a backup, like a satellite phone with two-way communications capabilities, is better.—
Amanda Loudin,
New York Times,
30 May 2025
Verb
-
The adults can survive for up to five months without food, remaining still to conserve their energy.—
The Washington Post,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
24 May 2025
-
The Nicaraguan native and engineer bought the land with the intent to conserve the tropical forest and its wildlife.—
Evie Carrick,
Travel + Leisure,
22 May 2025
Cite this Entry
“Spare.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/spare. Accessed 10 Jun. 2025.
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