- present participle of spare.
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.
The tech giant said it had “never seen a component price increase this much, this quickly” as it lifted prices by as much as 25% on key items, while sparing increases for its signature iPhone.
From Barron's • Jun. 26, 2026
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
That’s a reduction of over 25%, sparing an area of land larger than Texas and California combined each year.
From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 17, 2026
But the dark-haired woman only shook her head and walked back the way that she had come, sparing but one last glance for the sleeping youth upon the grass.
From "Stardust" by Neil Gaiman
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.
