to spare

Idioms  

1. In addition to what is needed, extra, left over, as in We paid our bills and still had money to spare. This expression uses spare in the sense of “leftover” or “unused,” a usage dating from the late 1500s.

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

to spare

That evolving attitude is reflected in his decision to spare Kanbei’s life, although the change of heart worries his troops, who believe he will be perceived as weak in Oda’s eyes.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 30, 2026

Ryana MacDonald-Gay took 4-17 as Super Giants bowled out Spirit with nine balls to spare at Lord's, before the visiting batters completed their chase for the loss of just three wickets.

From BBC ● Jul. 23, 2026

How many businesses have the cash to spare?

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 22, 2026

That may leave more to spare for emergencies — around 246 million barrels, according to the DOE’s latest estimates.

From MarketWatch ● Jul. 15, 2026

If Brother’s Keeper had something to spare, Patience and Natalie went to the shelves and brought it back for them.

From "Two Degrees" by Alan Gratz