adjective
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economical or frugal (with)
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scanty; meagre
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merciful or lenient
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of sparing
A Middle English word dating back to 1325–75; see origin at spare, -ing 2
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.
Host Greg Davies also said he hoped Celia Imrie wasn't feeling too relaxed, not sparing her blushes as he reminded her of the moment when she accidentally farted during filming, a moment which went viral.
From BBC • May 10, 2026
Are we better off just paying the debt completely now, and sparing the house?
From MarketWatch • Apr. 6, 2026
During the first weeks of Russia’s Starlink outage, Ukraine was able to push the Russians back from the outskirts of Zaporizhzhia, the regional capital, sparing the city from assaults from most artillery.
From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 21, 2026
After Wood and his attorneys presented their case for sparing Wood’s life, the Oklahoma Pardon and Parole Board recommended clemency in a 3–2 vote.
From Slate • Mar. 6, 2026
“Perhaps in a bit,” Frankie said, sparing me from having to explain that I had never played pool and would sooner strike my own eye out than hit the ball.
From "The City Beautiful" by Aden Polydoros
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.
