sparring

American  

[spahr-ing] / ˈspɑr ɪŋ /

noun

sparrings plural

1. the act or process of boxing with light blows, or of training by practicing the motions of attack and defense.

   I’m heading to the boxing gym to get in some sparring.

   Wu shu as a sport takes mainly two forms: the dancelike practice of the routine exercise, and the sparring in duels.

2. the act or process of disputing or bandying words.

   After some final sparring between opposing counsel, the prosecution made its closing argument.

3. the act of striking or attacking with the feet or spurs, as fighting roosters do.

   To prevent injury during sparring, they even put foam rubber covers on the spurs of their gamecocks.

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adjective

1. boxing with light blows, or practicing boxing motions of attack and defense.

   The place was packed with spectators cheering for the sparring boxers in the ring.

2. disputing or bandying words.

   The crew is a mix of personalities, from the friendly pilot to the constantly sparring pair of engineers who keep the ship running.

3. striking or attacking with the feet or spurs, as gamecocks do.

   This vintage table decoration features a pair of sparring roosters made of polished metal.

Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• sparrings
  plural

Etymology

Origin of sparring

First recorded in 1625–35; spar ² ( def. ) + -ing ¹ ( def. ) for the noun senses; spar ² ( def. ) + -ing ² ( def. ) for the adjective senses

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

sparring sparrings

At Youth Unity, I also meet 15-year-old Zipporah, who is verbally sparring with other girls in this week's debating session about the benefits and pitfalls of social media.

From BBC ● Jul. 10, 2026

Vietnam and China have a history of sparring over the South China Sea, or the East Sea as Vietnam calls it.

From BBC ● Jun. 3, 2026

“People are now using AI as a sparring partner, rather than just the internet as a research tool.”

From MarketWatch ● Jun. 2, 2026

But she misses the days of sparring with Democratic operative Donna Brazile when they were on opposing sides on CNN’s Washington set, and then went out for oysters and wine at Old Ebbitt Grill afterward.

From Los Angeles Times ● May 10, 2026

“For all the horrid things you said yesterday afternoon when I was sparring with Nehemia.”

From "Throne of Glass" by Sarah J. Maas

Instead of the sparrings playing against the first team, for example, Sampaoli has introduced a mixed set of training sessions, where under-20s and first team train together.

From The Guardian ● Nov. 11, 2017

These gentlemen had had some sparrings in debate before, and continued ever very hostile to each other.

From Memoir, Correspondence, And Miscellanies, From The Papers Of Thomas Jefferson, Volume 1 by Randolph, Thomas Jefferson

In spite of sundry little sparrings, Johnson fully appreciated Goldsmith's genius.

From Samuel Johnson by Stephen, Leslie, Sir