Advertisement

View synonyms for spare

spare

[ spair ]

verb (used with object)

, spared, spar·ing.
  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.



verb (used without object)

, spared, spar·ing.
  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

, spar·er, spar·est.
  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

  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. Compare strike ( def 69 ).

spare

/ 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. not spare oneself
    to exert oneself to the full
  9. to spare
    more than is required

    two minutes to spare

“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged” 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

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 )
“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged” 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

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
“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged” 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
Discover More

Derived Forms

  • ˈsparely, adverb
  • ˈspareness, noun
  • ˈsparer, noun
Discover More

Other Words From

  • spare·a·ble adjective
  • spare·ly adverb
  • spare·ness noun
  • spar·er noun
Discover More

Word History and Origins

Origin of spare1

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
Discover More

Word History and Origins

Origin of spare1

Old English sparian to refrain from injuring; related to Old Norse spara, Old High German sparōn
Discover More

Idioms and Phrases

  • to spare
Discover More

Synonym Study

See thin.
Discover More

Example Sentences

“Spare parts. Jeep Cherokee,” it says.

From BBC

Booth’s point was that a practice of pardoning all a chief executive’s underlings creates a culture in which underlings expect that, no matter what horrors and iniquities they perpetrate on their master’s behalf, the boss will spare them from any consequence.

From Slate

This includes torches, spare batteries and having phones charged.

From BBC

We fell into quick love, the kind that led to us spending all of our spare time together.

Known for being used in untraceable transactions, crypto was the perfect solution for the UK gangs, and the two groups had much of it to spare thanks to ransomware profits — so a deal was struck.

From Salon

Advertisement

Related Words

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement