spark
1 of 4noun (1)
ˈspärk 
1
a
: a small particle of a burning substance thrown out by a body in combustion or remaining when combustion is nearly completed
b
: a hot glowing particle struck from a larger mass
especially : one heated by friction
2
a
: a luminous disruptive electrical discharge of very short duration between two conductors separated by a gas (such as air)
b
: the discharge in a spark plug
c
: the mechanism controlling the discharge in a spark plug
3
: sparkle, flash
4
: something that sets off a sudden force
provided the spark that helped the team to rally
5
: a latent particle capable of growth or developing : germ
still retains a spark of decency
6
sparks plural in form but singular in construction : a radio operator on a ship
spark
2 of 4verb (1)
sparked; sparking; sparks
intransitive verb
1
a
: to throw out sparks
b
: to flash or fall like sparks
2
: to produce sparks
specifically : to have the electric ignition working
3
: to respond with enthusiasm
transitive verb
1
: to set off in a burst of activity : activate
the question sparked a lively discussion
—often used with off 2
: to stir to activity : incite
sparked her team to victory
spark
3 of 4noun (2)
1
: a foppish young man
2
: lover, beau
sparkish
ˈspär-kish
adjective spark
4 of 4verb (2)
sparked; sparking; sparks
: woo, court
Synonyms
Noun (1)
- ace
- bit
- crumb
- dab
- dram
- driblet
- glimmer
- hint
- lick
- little
- mite
- nip
- ounce
- particle
- peanuts
- ray
- scintilla
- scruple
- shade
- shadow
- shred
- skosh
- smack
- smell
- smidgen
- smidgeon
- smidgin
- smidge
- snap
- soupçon
- spatter
- speck
- splash
- spot
- sprinkling
- strain
- streak
- suspicion
- tad
- touch
- trace
Verb (1)
- scintillate
- sparkle
See all Synonyms & Antonyms 
Word History
Etymology
Noun (1)
Middle English sparke, from Old English spearca; akin to Middle Dutch sparke spark and perhaps to Latin spargere to scatter
Noun (2)
perhaps from spark entry 1
First Known Use
Noun (1)
before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a
Verb (1)
13th century, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 1a
Noun (2)
circa 1600, in the meaning defined at sense 1
Verb (2)
1787, in the meaning defined above
Phrases Containing spark
Kids Definition
spark 1 of 2
noun
ˈspärk
1
: a small bit of burning material
Sparks flew from a fire.
2
: a hot glowing bit struck from a mass (as by steel on flint)
3
: a short bright flash of electricity between two points
4
: sparkle entry 2 sense 1
5
: trace entry 1 sense 2
He showed a spark of interest.
spark
2 of 2verb
sparked; sparking
1
: to give off or cause to give off small bits of burning material or short bright flashes of electricity
The burning wood crackled and sparked.
The wires made contact and sparked.
2
: to set off
The question sparked a discussion.
Biographical Definition
Spark
biographical name
ˈspärk
Dame Muriel (Sarah) 1918–2006 née Camberg British writer
sparks 1 of 2
verb
1
as in sparkles
to give off sparks the broken radio sparked and smoked the instant it was plugged in Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
- sparkles
- flashes
- glows
- scintillates
- burns
- shines
- flames
- blazes
- combusts
- twinkles
- radiates
- lights (up)
- flares (up)
2
as in triggers
to cause to function interesting questions that are designed to spark the reader's brain Synonyms & Similar Words
- triggers
- activates
- drives
- fuels
- ignites
- powers
- generates
- moves
- fires
- provokes
- starts
- sets off
- charges
- actuates
- touches off
- electrifies
- turns on
- pushes
- runs
- stimulates
- launches
- energizes
- cranks (up)
- switches
- arouses
- discharges
- incites
- excites
- releases
- trips
- reactivates
- turns over
- instigates
- vitalizes
- accelerates
- recharges
- kicks over
- catalyzes
- quickens
- stirs up
- kick-starts
- jump-starts
- steps up
- speeds (up)
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- kills
- cuts
- stops
- sticks
- arrests
- turns off
- brakes
- halts
- deactivates
- jams
- checks
- stalls
- suppresses
- slows
- cuts out
- shuts off
- stunts
- decelerates
- represses
- cuts off
- draws up
3
as in provokes
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
- provokes
- encourages
- stimulates
- stirs
- inspires
- arouses
- incites
- excites
- moves
- piques
- ignites
- triggers
- motivates
- instigates
- motives
- induces
- drives
- impassions
- kindles
- activates
- galvanizes
- inflames
- fires (up)
- animates
- angers
- energizes
- fans
- builds a fire under
- enflames
- revs (up)
- foments
- sets off
- vitalizes
- quickens
- enrages
- bothers
- taunts
- raises
- upsets
- jeers
- pumps up
- teases
- ferments
- gets
- maddens
- annoys
- irritates
- exasperates
- abets
- aggravates
- vexes
- keys (up)
- whips (up)
- galls
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- calms
- subdues
- soothes
- tranquilizes
- tranquillizes
- placates
- mollifies
- appeases
- pacifies
sparks
2 of 2noun
as in splashes
a very small amount not a spark of interest in the actress's memoirs Synonyms & Similar Words
- splashes
- glimmers
- little
- touches
- sprinklings
- hints
- specks
- traces
- bits
- licks
- particles
- spatters
- flecks
- shadows
- rays
- dabs
- suspicions
- smacks
- bites
- streaks
- slivers
- nips
- smells
- shreds
- drops
- pinches
- crumbs
- shades
- dashes
- soupçons
- scruples
- driblets
- peanuts
- handfuls
- strains
- snaps
- drams
- smidgeons
- spots
- scintillas
- smidgens
- skoshes
- mites
- smidges
- ounces
- smidgins
- molecules
- fragments
- parts
- aces
- atoms
- dots
- grains
- tastes
- motes
- scraps
- hoots
- drops in the bucket
- splinters
- flakes
- granules
- jots
- shivers
- semblances
- whits
- scatterings
- doses
- nibbles
- vestiges
- shards
- minimums
- syllables
- patches
- smatterings
- shavings
- clippings
- minima
- portions
- flyspecks
- morsels
- iotas
- modicums
- chips
- sections
- minims
- nubbins
- tatters
- smatters
- parings
- tittles
- smithereens
- handsful
- shots
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- loads
- heaps
- lots
- piles
- masses
- deals
- stacks
- quantities
- bundles
- mountains
- messes
- gobs
- buckets
- pecks
- barrels
- oodles
- reams
- scads
- lashings
- rafts
- bushels
- fistfuls
- wealths
- abundances
- profusions
- wads
- boatloads
- much
- lashins
- overflows
- volumes
- passels
- potfuls
- excesses
- embarrassments
- surpluses
- plenties
- bonanzas
- chunks
- lumps
- superfluities
- slabs
- overages
- hunks
- overkills
- overmuch
- superabundances
- oversupplies
- overabundances
- surfeits
- spermaduct
- spermaducts
- spermagone
- spermagonia
- spermagonial
- spermagonium
- spermalist
- Spermaphyta
- spermaphyta
- spermaphyte
- spermaphytes
- spermaphytic
- spermaria
- spermaries
- spermarium
- spermary
- spermat-
- spermata
- spermatangia
- spermatangium
- spermateliosis
- spermatheca
- spermathecae
- spermathecal gland
- spermathecas