1
: a stout pole
2
a
: a stout rounded usually wood or metal piece (such as a mast, boom, gaff, or yard) used to support rigging
b
: any of the main longitudinal members of the wing of an airplane that carry the ribs
sparred; sparring
1
a
: box entry 3
especially
: to gesture without landing a blow to draw one's opponent or create an opening
b
: to engage in a practice or exhibition bout of boxing
3
: to strike or fight with feet or spurs in the manner of a gamecock
: any of various nonmetallic usually cleavable and lustrous minerals
Examples of spar in a Sentence
Verb
He's been sparring with his trainer.
They sparred playfully over whose team was better.
Recent Examples on the Web
Alexandra Glorioso, Miami Herald, 2 Apr. 2025
Since returning to office, Trump has defined his foreign policy by tariffs and taking a more critical approach to U.S. aid to Ukraine, sparring with President Volodymyr Zelensky in the first few months of his term.
—Paul Du Quenoy, MSNBC Newsweek, 28 Mar. 2025
Sarah Rumpf-Whitten, Fox News, 5 Feb. 2025
Sheinbaum’s tit-for-tat rhetorical spars with Trump echo her predecessor, former President Andrés Manuel López Obrador, who maintained a cordial relationship with Trump while saber-rattling against the United States for the benefit of his domestic audience.
—Rafael Bernal, The Hill, 8 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for spar
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Verb
Unnamed in the roughly 20-minute plea was House Speaker Daniel Perez, a Miami Republican with whom the governor has been sparring since the beginning of the year over issues ranging from immigration-enforcement to tax cuts.
—Alexandra Glorioso, Miami Herald, 2 Apr. 2025
Since returning to office, Trump has defined his foreign policy by tariffs and taking a more critical approach to U.S. aid to Ukraine, sparring with President Volodymyr Zelensky in the first few months of his term.
—Paul Du Quenoy, MSNBC Newsweek, 28 Mar. 2025
Noun
Blame game: Feds and New York sheriff spar Jesus Romero-Hernandez, a 27-year-old Mexican citizen, was previously removed from the United States six times between July and September 2016, according to a complaint viewed by Fox News Digital.
—Sarah Rumpf-Whitten, Fox News, 5 Feb. 2025
Sheinbaum’s tit-for-tat rhetorical spars with Trump echo her predecessor, former President Andrés Manuel López Obrador, who maintained a cordial relationship with Trump while saber-rattling against the United States for the benefit of his domestic audience.
—Rafael Bernal, The Hill, 8 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for spar
Cite this Entry
“Spar.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/spar. Accessed 13 Apr. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
spar
1 of 2 noun1
: a stout pole
2
: a long rounded usually wood or metal piece (as a mast, boom, or yard) to which a sail is fastened
spar
2 of 2 verb
sparred; sparring
1
: to box or make boxing movements with the fists for practice or in fun
Etymology
Noun
Middle English sparre "a stout pole, a pole used to support a sail on a ship"
Verb
Middle English sparren "to dart, spring"
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