spare 1 of 3

verb

Definition of sparenext
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

spare

2 of 3

adjective

ˈsper How to pronounce spare (audio)
1
as in extra
being over what is needed I had some spare time to kill, so I cleaned up my cubicle a bit

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in careful
giving or sharing as little as possible a man who is kind and gentle but definitely spare of speech

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in thin
having a noticeably small amount of body fat a tall, spare man

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in scarce
less plentiful than what is normal, necessary, or desirable spare vegetation that made foraging very difficult

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

spare

3 of 3

noun

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

Synonym Chooser

How does the adjective spare contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of spare are gaunt, lanky, lank, lean, rawboned, scrawny, and skinny. While all these words mean "thin because of an absence of excess flesh," spare suggests leanness from abstemious living or constant exercise.

the gymnast's spare figure

When could gaunt be used to replace spare?

The words gaunt and spare are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, gaunt implies marked thinness or emaciation as from overwork or suffering.

a prisoner's gaunt face

When is lank a more appropriate choice than spare?

The meanings of lank and spare largely overlap; however, lank implies tallness as well as leanness.

the lank legs of the heron

When is it sensible to use lanky instead of spare?

In some situations, the words lanky and spare are roughly equivalent. However, lanky suggests awkwardness and loose-jointedness as well as thinness.

a lanky youth, all arms and legs

When can lean be used instead of spare?

The synonyms lean and spare are sometimes interchangeable, but lean stresses lack of fat and of curving contours.

a lean racehorse

When would rawboned be a good substitute for spare?

The words rawboned and spare can be used in similar contexts, but rawboned suggests a large ungainly build without implying undernourishment.

a rawboned farmer

How do scrawny and skinny relate to one another, in the sense of spare?

Both scrawny and skinny imply an extreme leanness that suggests deficient strength and vitality.

a scrawny chicken
skinny street urchins

Example 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 spare
Verb
LeBlanc said the discussion will center on pushing the U.S. to drop all existing tariffs and sparing Canada from reciprocal duties, should they be imposed in April. —Kate Nishimura, Sourcing Journal, 12 Mar. 2025 Manson was sentenced to death but was spared execution after the death penalty was abolished in California. —Emily Krauser, People.com, 9 Mar. 2025
Adjective
Select Ukrainian pilots have trained in the U.S., which has also sent spare parts to Ukraine to maintain F-16s kitted out with AN/ALQ-131 electronic countermeasures pods. —William Lambers, Newsweek, 10 Mar. 2025 Throughout this episode, Matty tries in her spare moments to trace Julian’s movements on the day the potentially damning Wellbrexa documents arrived at the Jacobson-Moore offices. —Noel Murray, Vulture, 6 Mar. 2025
Noun
Carry a basic tool kit with useful spares and don't be shy about getting your hands dirty! —New Atlas, 24 Dec. 2024 The spares are for the gigantic propellers connected to four Rolls-Royce/Alstom Mermaid propulsion Pods. —Heather Steinberger, Robb Report, 22 Nov. 2024 See All Example Sentences for spare
Recent Examples of Synonyms for spare
  1. scant
  2. save
  3. extra
  4. careful
  5. thin
  6. scarce
  7. backup
  8. conserve
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
Definition of scant
Verb
  • There's no one at home to keep comfortable, and lowering the temperature in winter or increasing it in summer will save real money on your utility bills.
    — Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 17 Mar. 2025
  • An autosave feature would be helpful for the future since most people assume programs automatically save their work.
    — PCMAG, PCMAG, 17 Mar. 2025
Definition of save
Adjective
  • Utah was leading 3-2 with under two minutes to play when the Sabres pulled their goalie for an extra attacker.
    — Matthew Fairburn, The Athletic, 21 Mar. 2025
  • The soft removable padded cups add extra support, while the lightweight fabric is comfy and breathable for all-day wear.
    — Megan Schaltegger, Travel + Leisure, 21 Mar. 2025
Definition of extra
Adjective
  • These concerns underscore the need for careful consideration of privacy rights when deploying such technology.
    — Kurt Knutsson, CyberGuy Report, Fox News, 15 Mar. 2025
  • Why America's business leaders engage in delicate diplomacy Corporate America's careful rhetoric — even as many big companies brace for the impact of the market volatility and the tariffs — illustrates the delicate diplomacy that business leaders are trying to engage in.
    — Maria Aspan, NPR, 14 Mar. 2025
Definition of careful
Adjective
  • Consider spreading a very thin (¼-inch thick) layer of topsoil across the planting area before sowing seed according to label instructions.
    — Kim Toscano, Southern Living, 14 Mar. 2025
  • Cozy Earth Bamboo Sheet Set Cozy Earth Cozy Earth Cozy Earth Bamboo Sheet Set $331 $265 Cozy Earth Pros Temperature-regulating Very thin and lightweight, but supersoft Lots of color options Cons Expensive Tend to wrinkle easily True to their name, these are some cozy AF sheets.
    — Kristin Canning, SELF, 14 Mar. 2025
Definition of thin
Adjective
  • When football resumed, money was scarce and plans for a new bridge into Salford and a car park were delayed.
    — Michael Walker, The Athletic, 15 Mar. 2025
  • Majors said he's been taking meetings on a superhero film project, though details were scarce.
    — Michileen Martin, Newsweek, 14 Mar. 2025
Definition of scarce
Noun
  • Trevino, 32, was the backup to Austin Wells last season in New York and an All-Star in 2022.
    — Thomas G. Moukawsher, Newsweek, 20 Mar. 2025
  • As far as backups, this opens the door for either Griffin Conine or Heriberto Hernandez to crack the Opening Day roster.
    — Jordan McPherson, Miami Herald, 15 Mar. 2025
Definition of backup
Verb
  • This can help align incentives and conserve precious capital.
    — Joseph Edgar, Forbes, 14 Mar. 2025
  • Americans in New Jersey and Delaware have been urged to conserve water amid drought conditions and wildfires.
    — Mark Davis, Newsweek, 14 Mar. 2025
Definition of conserve

Browse Nearby Words

spare
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Spare.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/spare. Accessed 24 Mar. 2025.

Copy Citation

Share

More from Merriam-Webster on spare

Nglish: Translation of spare for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about spare

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

The Difference Between 'i.e.' and 'e.g.'

How to Use Em Dashes (—), En Dashes (–) , and Hyphens (-)

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?

More Commonly Misspelled Words
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

What do SCOTUS, POTUS, and FLOTUS mean?

Flower Etymologies For Your Spring Garden

More Words with Remarkable Origins

Terroir, Oenophile, & Magnum: Ten Words About Wine

8 Words for Lesser-Known Musical Instruments
See More

Popular Features

See More

The Difference Between 'i.e.' and 'e.g.'

What do SCOTUS, POTUS, and FLOTUS mean?

Flower Etymologies For Your Spring Garden
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Word Game Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
dog-in-disguise
Rhyme Disguise Quiz Pair up words that look different but sound alike.
See All