spare

American  

[spair] / spɛər /

verb (used with object)

spares, present (3rd person singular) spared, past participle, past sparing present participle

1. to refrain from harming or destroying; leave uninjured; forbear to punish, hurt, or destroy.

   to spare one's enemy.

2. to deal gently or leniently with; show consideration for.

   His harsh criticism spared no one.

3. to save from strain, discomfort, embarrassment, or the like, or from a particular cause of it: to spare her needless embarrassment.

   to spare him the bother;

   to spare her needless embarrassment.

4. to refrain from, forbear, omit, or withhold, as action or speech.

   Spare us the gory details.

5. to refrain from employing, as some instrument or recourse.

   to spare the rod.

6. to set aside for a particular purpose.

   to spare land for a garden.

   Synonyms:

   reserve

7. to give or lend, as from a supply, especially without inconvenience or loss: Can you spare me a dollar till payday?

   Can you spare a cup of sugar?

   Can you spare me a dollar till payday?

8. to dispense with or do without.

   We can't spare a single worker during the rush hour.

9. to use economically or frugally; refrain from using up or wasting.

   A walnut sundae, and don't spare the whipped cream!

10. to have remaining as excess or surplus.

    We can make the curtains and have a yard to spare.

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verb (used without object)

spares, present (3rd person singular) spared, past participle, past sparing present participle

1. to use economy; be frugal.

2. to refrain from inflicting injury or punishment; exercise lenience or mercy.

3. Obsolete. to refrain from action; forbear.

adjective

sparer, comparative sparest superlative

1. kept in reserve, as for possible use.

   a spare part.

2. being in excess of present need; free for other use.

   How do you like to relax in your spare time?

   My travel adventures seem to soak up any spare cash I earn.

   Synonyms:

   extra

3. frugally restricted or meager, as a manner of living or a diet.

   a spare regime.

4. lean or thin, as a person.

5. scanty or scant, as in amount or fullness.

6. economical, moderate, or temperate, as persons; sparing.

noun

spares plural

1. a spare thing, part, etc., as an extra tire for emergency use.

2. Ceramics. an area at the top of a plaster mold for holding excess slip.

3. Bowling.

   1. the knocking down of all the pins with two bowls.

   2. a score so made.

spare British  

/ spɛə /

verb

1. (tr) to refrain from killing, punishing, harming, or injuring

2. (tr) to release or relieve, as from pain, suffering, etc

3. (tr) to refrain from using

   spare the rod, spoil the child

4. (tr) to be able to afford or give

   I can't spare the time

5. (usually passive) (esp of Providence) to allow to survive

   I'll see you again next year if we are spared

6. rare (intr) to act or live frugally

7. rare (intr) to show mercy

8. to exert oneself to the full

9. more than is required

   two minutes to spare

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adjective

1. (often immediately postpositive) in excess of what is needed; additional

   are there any seats spare?

2. able to be used when needed

   a spare part

3. (of a person) thin and lean

4. scanty or meagre

5. slang (postpositive) upset, angry, or distracted (esp in the phrase go spare )

noun

1. a duplicate kept as a replacement in case of damage or loss

2. a spare tyre

3. tenpin bowling

   1. the act of knocking down all the pins with the two bowls of a single frame

   2. the score thus made Compare strike

spare Idioms  

More idioms and phrases containing spare

• to spare

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Synonym Usage

See thin.

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• spareness
  noun
• sparer
  noun
• spareable
  adjective
• sparely
  adverb

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• spares
  plural

Adjectives

• sparer
  comparative
• sparest
  superlative

Participles

• sparing
  present
• spared
  past

Conjugated Forms

Present

• spare
  simple
• spares
  simple
• have spared
  perfect
• has spared
  perfect
• am sparing
  progressive
• are sparing
  progressive
• is sparing
  progressive
• have been sparing
  perfect progressive
• has been sparing
  perfect progressive

Past

• spared
  simple
• had spared
  perfect
• was sparing
  progressive
• were sparing
  progressive
• had been sparing
  perfect progressive

Future

• will spare
  simple
• will have spared
  perfect
• will be sparing
  progressive
• will have been sparing
  perfect progressive

Etymology

Origin of spare

First recorded before 900; (verb) Middle English sparen, Old English sparian; cognate with Dutch, German sparen, Old Norse spara; (noun and adjective) Middle English; compare Old English spær “sparing, frugal” (cognate with Old High German spar, Old Norse sparr

Explanation

Spare describes something that is extra. If you have a spare tire for your bike you can replace a flat, and if there's enough change in your pocket you can spare some to patch a friend's tire. As a noun, a verb, and an adjective, the word spare has many meanings. A leftover part is a spare, you can spare a life when you save an animal or person, and you have spare time when you finish a project early. If you "spare no expense" you spend lots of money and when you spare a friend's feelings, you keep upsetting details to yourself. And if you have a moment to spare, you have time to share.

Example Sentences

Spare a thought for Alan Horsburgh, who has a bundle of conundrums to work through.

From BBC • Jun. 25, 2026

Spare a thought for those in the Northern Isles, Scotland, where it's only going to reach 13C.

From BBC • May 22, 2026

"Spare a thought for the Pacific Island nations at the end of a long supply chain, wondering if fuel still reaches them in the wake of such a severe disruption," she said.

From Barron's • Apr. 9, 2026

Spare guitar chords give way to a female voice that sounds unpolished but beautiful: “I want to lay with you/ In an open field/ Where yellow flowers are suns of Earth.”

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 3, 2026

Just three misfit witches, a red glow all around them, and the unmistakable truth that Seven was a Spare.

From "Witchlings" by Claribel A. Ortega

Related Words

• afford
• allow
• give
• grant
• provide
• save