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spar with

Idioms  

  1. Argue or debate with, as in You'd never know they were happily married, because they're constantly sparring with each other. [Early 1600s]

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Through podcast appearances, tweets and interviews, Milton used social media to build hype for the brand and spar with naysayers.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 18, 2026

Not only was I excited to see one of my favorite comedians spar with Jean Smart, I was also psyched to see a 40-something woman cast as a daughter, and not a mother.

From Salon • May 16, 2025

Last question: Did you ever spar with Claressa?

From Los Angeles Times • Jan. 7, 2025

Trump's lawyers spar with Stormy Daniels in trial.

From BBC • May 19, 2024

At their Test the next afternoon, Celaena stood in the training hall with her arms crossed, watching Cain spar with Grave.

From "Throne of Glass" by Sarah J. Maas

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.