- present participle of spare.
adjective
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economical or frugal (with)
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scanty; meagre
-
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 magistrate called the incident "a single act of stupidity or frustration" when sparing him a criminal record.
From BBC ● Aug. 19, 2026
With your home in Illinois paid off and a cash purchase in Florida, you’re largely sparing your monthly budget, but not completely.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 19, 2026
While a package sparing Spirit may benefit consumers, the potential solution has sparked blowback.
From Barron's ● Apr. 24, 2026
In December, a Los Angeles County Superior Court judge granted her diversion due to mental health issues, sparing her potential jail time.
From Los Angeles Times ● Mar. 26, 2026
And I was thankful to them for sparing me.
From "In the Time of the Butterflies" by Julia Alvarez
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.
