sparing

[spair-ing]

adjective

1. economical (often followed by in orof ).

   Synonyms: penurious, saving, frugal

2. lenient or merciful.

3. scanty; limited.

   Synonyms: sparse, meager

sparing

/ ˈspɛərɪŋ /

adjective

1. economical or frugal (with)

2. scanty; meagre

3. merciful or lenient

Other Word Forms

• sparingly adverb
• sparingness noun
• nonsparing adjective
• oversparing adjective
• oversparingness noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of sparing¹

A Middle English word dating back to 1325–75; spare, -ing ²

Example Sentences

By sparing no details, Allen’s rewritten the rule book for a new age.

Read more on Salon

The 60-year-old said he felt "perversely lucky" since the parents involved had passed away, sparing him "difficult conversations".

Read more on BBC

Perhaps most painful among the nurses’ many miseries is their isolation: the secrets they keep in hopes of sparing their loved ones an iota of extra suffering.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

All are projects close to Musk’s heart, which is also why the company is sparing no effort to keep him around.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

And Mr. Reeves’s, um, sparing approach to expressing emotion befits the play.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal