sparring partner

American  

[spahr-ing pahrt-ner] / ˈspɑr ɪŋ ˌpɑrt nər /

noun

1. a boxer who spars with and otherwise serves to train a boxer who is preparing for a bout.

2. a person who serves to sharpen and expand one’s thinking through frequent friendly debate.

   This provocative political writer was the frequent sparring partner of a popular talk show host on TV.

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sparring partner British  

/ ˈspɑːrɪŋ /

noun

1. a person who practises with a boxer during training

2. a person with whom one has friendly arguments

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sparring partner Idioms  

1. An individual with whom one enjoys arguing, as in Jim's my best sparring partner. This expression alludes to boxing, where since about 1900 it has denoted the person one practices or trains with. [Mid-1900s] Also see spar with.

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Etymology

Origin of sparring partner

First recorded in 1905–10

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

sparring partner

So use it as a sparring partner, not a ghostwriter.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Mar. 27, 2026

How funny that the sitcom even featured an amalgamation of Kelly and all of her bad-faith compatriots in Leslie’s frequent sparring partner, local telejournalist Joan Callamezzo.

From Salon ● Jan. 16, 2026

The boxer is a sparring partner for Marian, who works out her aggression in the ring.

From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 27, 2025

"The AI is not so much giving you answers, as giving you a sparring partner," he says.

From BBC ● Feb. 3, 2025

The Test was fairly simple: they were each given a sparring partner, and if they won their duel, they needn’t worry about being eliminated.

From "Throne of Glass" by Sarah J. Maas

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