sparing

American  

[spair-ing] / ˈspɛər ɪŋ /

adjective

1. economical (often followed by in orof ).

   Synonyms:

   penurious, saving, frugal

2. lenient or merciful.

3. scanty; limited.

   Synonyms:

   sparse, meager

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sparing British  

/ ˈspɛərɪŋ /

adjective

1. economical or frugal (with)

2. scanty; meagre

3. merciful or lenient

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Other Word Forms

• nonsparing adjective
• oversparing adjective
• oversparingness noun
• sparingly adverb
• sparingness noun

Etymology

Origin of sparing

A Middle English word dating back to 1325–75; spare, -ing ²

Example Sentences

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

Still, for now, the current shock is predominantly centered around oil, not gas, sparing European industry the severe exposure seen in the wake of Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine, Vistesen said.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 25, 2026

The paper 'Experimental glycopeptide antibiotic EVG7 prevents recurrent Clostridioides difficile infection by sparing members of the Lachnospiraceae family' was published in Nature Communications.

From Science Daily • Mar. 11, 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

Fortunately my quiver has caught in the crook of my elbow, sparing both itself and my shoulder, and my bow is locked in my grasp.

From "The Hunger Games" by Suzanne Collins