spare
verb (used with object)
to refrain from harming or destroying; leave uninjured; forbear to punish, hurt, or destroy.
spares
-
pluralof spare.plural
The grammatical form denoting more than one person, place, thing, or idea.
-
present tense formof spare (3rd person singular).present tense
Used to describe things happening now or regularly.
spareverb (used with object)to refrain from harming or destroying; leave uninjured; forbear to punish, hurt, or destroy.
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.
That is the same form of leniency that prosecutors granted to Alibaba and EagleBank, which requires them to admit wrongdoing but spares them from being charged.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 19, 2026
"It spares no-one, dead or alive," said Ajith Sunghay, local head of the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights.
From BBC ● May 10, 2026
The pope will arrive by helicopter, a diplomatic subtlety that spares him from landing on French soil without actually visiting France.
From Barron's ● Mar. 25, 2026
It spares the host from managing a revolving door of goodbyes, avoids disrupting the natural energy of the event and doesn’t encourage others to leave simply because they see you heading for the door.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Mar. 13, 2026
In case of error they can’t be uploaded like the whole Boston curriculum—there are no spares in case one is lost.
From "The Adoration of Jenna Fox" by Mary E. Pearson
