spare
1 of 3adjective
ˈsper 
sparer; sparest
1
: not being used
especially : held for emergency use
a spare tire
2
: being over and above what is needed : superfluous
spare time
3
: not liberal or profuse : sparing
a spare prose style
4
: healthily lean
5
: not abundant or plentiful
sparely adverb
spareness noun
spare
2 of 3verb
spared; sparing
transitive verb
1
: to forbear to destroy, punish, or harm
2
: to refrain from attacking or reprimanding with necessary or salutary severity
3
: to relieve of the necessity of doing or undergoing something
spare yourself the trouble
4
: to refrain from : avoid
spared no expense
5
: to use or dispense frugally —used chiefly in the negative
don't spare the syrup
6
a
: to give up as not strictly needed
do you have any cash to spare
b
: to have left over or as margin
time to spare
intransitive verb
1
: to be frugal
2
: to refrain from doing harm
spareable
ˈsper-ə-bəl
adjective sparer noun
spare
3 of 3noun
1
a
: a spare tire
b
: a duplicate (such as a key or a machine part) kept in reserve
2
: the knocking down of all 10 pins with the first 2 balls in a frame in bowling
Synonyms
Adjective
- excess
- extra
- redundant
- supererogatory
- superfluous
- supernumerary
- surplus
Verb
- nurse
- scant
- skimp (on)
- stint (on)
Noun
- extra
- reserve
See all Synonyms & Antonyms 
Example Sentences
Adjective a spare pair of gloves I keep a spare set of keys in my desk. He has a spare frame. He was tall and spare. I like her spare style of writing. Verb No one knows why the gunman shot some people and spared others. Somehow the storm spared our house while nearby buildings were destroyed. She was spared from having to answer any more questions. He wanted to spare his family from the stress he had endured. I could have spared myself the trouble. He spared them the embarrassment of a public apology. If you could spare a cup of sugar, it would save me a trip to the store. Noun “I've lost the key.” “You'll find a spare in the drawer.” If that one breaks, I've got a spare. Most cars come with spares. He got a strike and two spares. See More
Recent Examples on the Web
Larry Blumenfeld, WSJ, 14 Sep. 2022 The dialogue and accompanying context are kept spare here on purpose, Miller says. Lauren Huff, EW.com, 9 Sep. 2022 West worked with Belgian architect Axel Vervoordt on the house, which has an incredibly spare style often compared to a monastery or musuem. Glenn Garner, Peoplemag, 9 Sep. 2022 Then, use a spare toothbrush to apply the cleaning solution to the grout. Caitlin Sole, Better Homes & Gardens, 7 Sep. 2022 In his earlier films, the presence of large historical events made for a striking, even disorienting, contrast with the spare fictional stagings that linked up with them. Richard Brody, The New Yorker, 1 Sep. 2022 These artists, including Park Seo-bo, crumpled, soaked, and obsessively marked up their canvases in a spare, methodical style now called Dansaekhwa, or Korean monochrome. Kelly Crow, WSJ, 1 Sep. 2022 The system goes on sale Sept. 28 in the UK via Ring or Amazon, or bundled with a Ring Quick-Release Battery Charging Station and spare Quick-Release Battery Pack for £89.99 (£149.99 MSRP). Stephanie Mlot, PCMAG, 1 Sep. 2022 At Orchard school, students will use their spare period to work in the hoop house. Sarah Bowman, The Indianapolis Star, 31 Aug. 2022 Grace Segers, The New Republic, 13 Sep. 2022 When Democrats voted last year to repeal the state’s parental notification law, for example, the measure cleared each chamber with just two votes to spare. Dan Petrella, Chicago Tribune, 30 Aug. 2022 Hours later the Assembly sent it to Gov. Gavin Newsom on a final 41-16 vote, both chambers acting with no votes to spare. Don Thompson, BostonGlobe.com, 29 Aug. 2022 Hours later the Assembly sent it to Gov. Gavin Newsom on a final 41-16 vote, both chambers acting with no votes to spare. From Usa Today Network And Wire Reports, USA TODAY, 18 Aug. 2022 To spare yourself the agony, Metro is offering its free Dodger Stadium Express bus service to and from all the stadium’s All-Star events. Los Angeles Times, 15 July 2022 Can 'army of moms' slow climate change to spare children? Joan Meiners, The Arizona Republic, 31 Aug. 2022 Hours before the train station attack, Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu insisted the military was doing its best to spare civilians, even at the cost of slowing down its offensive in Ukraine. Inna Varenytsia, Anchorage Daily News, 25 Aug. 2022 Hours before the train station attack, Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu insisted the military was doing its best to spare civilians, even at the cost of slowing down its offensive in Ukraine. Inna Varenytsia, Chicago Tribune, 25 Aug. 2022 Anthony Robledo, USA TODAY, 20 July 2022 Employees working in spare-parts production and distribution, as well as customer service, will keep a full working schedule during this period. Nick Kostov And Evan Gershkovich, WSJ, 9 Mar. 2022 But the agency stopped short of issuing a spare the air alert, since most of the wildfire smoke was likely to stay at higher elevations. Dominic Fracassa, San Francisco Chronicle, 13 Aug. 2021 Preliminary information indicates the left front tire of the pickup was a spare that failed, causing the vehicle to pull hard to the left into oncoming traffic of a two-lane roadway, NTSB Vice Chairman Bruce Landsberg said Thursday. Ray Sanchez, CNN, 18 Mar. 2022 The truck's left front tire was a spare that failed and caused the vehicle to pull hard left and cross into the opposing lane, according to the NTSB. Mark Osborne, ABC News, 17 Mar. 2022 In the trunk, among the road flares and radio wiring harness, sits a fresh full-size spare. Austin Irwin, Car and Driver, 29 Apr. 2022 In addition to the spare, the swingout also makes room for a Power Tank (from $650), a DMOS Delta shovel ($250), a folding table, and a five-pound propane tank. Wes Siler, Outside Online, 18 Apr. 2022 Construction on East Houston Street has stolen some of the spartan valor from Estate, infringing on its spare, Prada Marfa-in-the-desert vibe. Mike Sutter, San Antonio Express-News, 23 Mar. 2022 See More
Adjective
Waldron synthesized many mid-20th-century jazz influences, but the spare, shadowy sound and introspective aspect that distinguishes his later work were there from the start. Larry Blumenfeld, WSJ, 14 Sep. 2022 The dialogue and accompanying context are kept spare here on purpose, Miller says. Lauren Huff, EW.com, 9 Sep. 2022 West worked with Belgian architect Axel Vervoordt on the house, which has an incredibly spare style often compared to a monastery or musuem. Glenn Garner, Peoplemag, 9 Sep. 2022 Then, use a spare toothbrush to apply the cleaning solution to the grout. Caitlin Sole, Better Homes & Gardens, 7 Sep. 2022 In his earlier films, the presence of large historical events made for a striking, even disorienting, contrast with the spare fictional stagings that linked up with them. Richard Brody, The New Yorker, 1 Sep. 2022 These artists, including Park Seo-bo, crumpled, soaked, and obsessively marked up their canvases in a spare, methodical style now called Dansaekhwa, or Korean monochrome. Kelly Crow, WSJ, 1 Sep. 2022 The system goes on sale Sept. 28 in the UK via Ring or Amazon, or bundled with a Ring Quick-Release Battery Charging Station and spare Quick-Release Battery Pack for £89.99 (£149.99 MSRP). Stephanie Mlot, PCMAG, 1 Sep. 2022 At Orchard school, students will use their spare period to work in the hoop house. Sarah Bowman, The Indianapolis Star, 31 Aug. 2022 Verb
Therein lies the rub of a 50-seat majority: Schumer has no Democratic votes to spare, and few if any Republican votes at hand. Grace Segers, The New Republic, 13 Sep. 2022 When Democrats voted last year to repeal the state’s parental notification law, for example, the measure cleared each chamber with just two votes to spare. Dan Petrella, Chicago Tribune, 30 Aug. 2022 Hours later the Assembly sent it to Gov. Gavin Newsom on a final 41-16 vote, both chambers acting with no votes to spare. Don Thompson, BostonGlobe.com, 29 Aug. 2022 Hours later the Assembly sent it to Gov. Gavin Newsom on a final 41-16 vote, both chambers acting with no votes to spare. From Usa Today Network And Wire Reports, USA TODAY, 18 Aug. 2022 To spare yourself the agony, Metro is offering its free Dodger Stadium Express bus service to and from all the stadium’s All-Star events. Los Angeles Times, 15 July 2022 Can 'army of moms' slow climate change to spare children? Joan Meiners, The Arizona Republic, 31 Aug. 2022 Hours before the train station attack, Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu insisted the military was doing its best to spare civilians, even at the cost of slowing down its offensive in Ukraine. Inna Varenytsia, Anchorage Daily News, 25 Aug. 2022 Hours before the train station attack, Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu insisted the military was doing its best to spare civilians, even at the cost of slowing down its offensive in Ukraine. Inna Varenytsia, Chicago Tribune, 25 Aug. 2022 Noun
Johnson then suggests the two spare for reals with gear. Anthony Robledo, USA TODAY, 20 July 2022 Employees working in spare-parts production and distribution, as well as customer service, will keep a full working schedule during this period. Nick Kostov And Evan Gershkovich, WSJ, 9 Mar. 2022 But the agency stopped short of issuing a spare the air alert, since most of the wildfire smoke was likely to stay at higher elevations. Dominic Fracassa, San Francisco Chronicle, 13 Aug. 2021 Preliminary information indicates the left front tire of the pickup was a spare that failed, causing the vehicle to pull hard to the left into oncoming traffic of a two-lane roadway, NTSB Vice Chairman Bruce Landsberg said Thursday. Ray Sanchez, CNN, 18 Mar. 2022 The truck's left front tire was a spare that failed and caused the vehicle to pull hard left and cross into the opposing lane, according to the NTSB. Mark Osborne, ABC News, 17 Mar. 2022 In the trunk, among the road flares and radio wiring harness, sits a fresh full-size spare. Austin Irwin, Car and Driver, 29 Apr. 2022 In addition to the spare, the swingout also makes room for a Power Tank (from $650), a DMOS Delta shovel ($250), a folding table, and a five-pound propane tank. Wes Siler, Outside Online, 18 Apr. 2022 Construction on East Houston Street has stolen some of the spartan valor from Estate, infringing on its spare, Prada Marfa-in-the-desert vibe. Mike Sutter, San Antonio Express-News, 23 Mar. 2022 See More Word History
Etymology
Adjective
Middle English, from Old English spær sparing, scant; akin to Old High German spar spare
Verb
Middle English, from Old English sparian; akin to Old High German sparōn to spare, Old English spær, adjective, scant
First Known Use
Adjective
14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1
Verb
before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1
Noun
1907, in the meaning defined at sense 1a
Phrases Containing spare
Kids Definition
spare 1 of 3
verb
ˈsper
spared; sparing
1
: to keep from being punished or harmed : show mercy to
The king promised to spare the prisoner.
2
: to free from having to go through something difficult
This afternoon … he was spared any disagreeable scenes. Frances Hodgson Burnett, The Secret Garden
Frances Hodgson Burnett, The Secret Garden3
: to keep from using or spending
More pancakes, please, and don't spare the syrup.
4
: to give up especially as not really needed
Can you spare a few minutes?
5
: to have left over
I got there with time to spare.
spare
2 of 3adjective
sparer; sparest
1
: held in reserve (as for an emergency)
a spare tire
2
: being over what is needed
spare time
3
: somewhat thin
a spare figure
4
: scanty
a spare diet
spare
3 of 3noun
1
: a replacement or duplicate piece or part
2
: the knocking down of all ten bowling pins with the first two balls
spare 1 of 3
verb
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
- scant
- conserve
- preserve
- dole out
- skimp (on)
- nurse
- shortchange
- pinch
- stint (on)
- mete (out)
- portion (out)
- ration (out)
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- heap
- pour
- lavish
- shower
- rain
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
- save
- conserve
- economize
- manage
- skimp
- preserve
- pinch
- scrimp
- pinch pennies
- husband
- maintain
- scrape
- hoard
- cut down
- cut back
- retrench
- lay up
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- waste
- spend
- squander
- blow
- throw away
- lavish
- dissipate
- misspend
- splurge
- run through
- fritter (away)
spare
2 of 3adjective
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
- extra
- surplus
- excess
- additional
- superfluous
- unnecessary
- redundant
- unwanted
- supererogatory
- supernumerary
- accessory
- ample
- unneeded
- needless
- supplementary
- copious
- dispensable
- plentiful
- nonessential
- unessential
- supplemental
- plenteous
- extraneous
- bountiful
- abundant
- de trop
- gratuitous
- uncalled-for
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- short
- scarce
- scant
- insufficient
- sparse
- meager
- inadequate
- poor
- scanty
- deficient
- meagre
- skimpy
- shortish
- niggardly
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
- careful
- sparing
- close
- tight
- pinching
- cheap
- stinting
- conserving
- selfish
- miserly
- parsimonious
- saving
- desirous
- pinchpenny
- closefisted
- mean
- greedy
- niggard
- mingy
- economical
- economizing
- stingy
- tightfisted
- small
- ungenerous
- chintzy
- penurious
- niggardly
- penny-pinching
- uncharitable
- skimping
- thrifty
- scrimping
- frugal
- grasping
- coveting
- hoggish
- covetous
- chary
- sordid
- avaricious
- begrudging
- avid
- grudging
- mercenary
- shabby
- acquisitive
- envious
- itchy
- resentful
- rapacious
- inhospitable
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- generous
- bountiful
- free
- bounteous
- unstinting
- liberal
- charitable
- openhanded
- unsparing
- munificent
- extravagant
- lavish
- selfless
- altruistic
- handsome
- unselfish
- profuse
- kindly
- humanitarian
- wasting
- overgenerous
- hospitable
- benevolent
- magnanimous
- philanthropic
- freehanded
- philanthropical
- compassionate
- beneficent
- wasteful
- squandering
- profligate
- greathearted
- prodigal
- spendthrift
- unthrifty
- dissipating
- openhearted
- frittering
- thriftless
- good-hearted
- splurging
3
as in thin
having a noticeably small amount of body fat a tall, spare man Synonyms & Similar Words
- thin
- slender
- skinny
- lean
- bony
- slim
- trim
- angular
- gaunt
- skeletal
- svelte
- fatless
- lithe
- haggard
- boney
- wasted
- scrawny
- meager
- wiry
- waspish
- sinewy
- willowy
- pinched
- reedy
- lank
- puny
- spindling
- spindly
- weedy
- clean-limbed
- scraggy
- lanky
- sylphlike
- slight
- rawboned
- anoretic
- meagre
- stringy
- twiggy
- wizened
- rangy
- emaciated
- cadaverous
- anorexic
- anorectic
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- plump
- heavy
- fat
- bulky
- gross
- beefy
- corpulent
- thick
- chubby
- weighty
- rotund
- fleshy
- tubby
- overweight
- portly
- obese
- chunky
- stout
- thickset
- stocky
- burly
- brawny
- full
- stubby
- husky
- heavyset
- dumpy
- squat
- pudgy
- flabby
- soft
- paunchy
- round
- potbellied
- buxom
- roly-poly
- zaftig
- hippy
- zoftig
4
as in scarce
less plentiful than what is normal, necessary, or desirable spare vegetation that made foraging very difficult Synonyms & Similar Words
- scarce
- sparse
- sparing
- scant
- poor
- light
- lacking
- meager
- skimp
- scanty
- small
- short
- skimpy
- lowest
- insufficient
- mere
- meagre
- slender
- stingy
- minimal
- exiguous
- inadequate
- thin on the ground
- niggardly
- slim
- wanting
- least
- deficient
- hand-to-mouth
- thin
- slightest
- bare
- littlest
- bare-bones
- sterile
- slight
- barren
- unfruitful
- unproductive
- infertile
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- sufficient
- ample
- enough
- adequate
- abundant
- copious
- generous
- plentiful
- satisfactory
- liberal
- bountiful
- rich
- tolerable
- extra
- fertile
- fruitful
- plenteous
- fat
- prolific
- excess
- lavish
- bursting
- surplus
- luxuriant
- fecund
- flourishing
- thriving
- proliferative
- teeming
- blooming
- swarming
spare
3 of 3noun
as in substitute
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
- extra
- substitute
- backup
- replacement
- reserve
- double
- copy
- stock
- duplicate
- reproduction
- dummy
- carbon copy
- dupe
- replica
- clone
- replication
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- prototype
- original
- archetype
Synonym Chooser
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
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
The meanings of lank and spare largely overlap; however, lank implies tallness as well as leanness.
the lank legs of the heron
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
The synonyms lean and spare are sometimes interchangeable, but lean stresses lack of fat and of curving contours.
a lean racehorse
The words rawboned and spare can be used in similar contexts, but rawboned suggests a large ungainly build without implying undernourishment.
a rawboned farmer
Both scrawny and skinny imply an extreme leanness that suggests deficient strength and vitality.
a scrawny chicken
skinny street urchins