to spare

Idioms  

1. In addition to what is needed, extra, left over, as in We paid our bills and still had money to spare. This expression uses spare in the sense of “leftover” or “unused,” a usage dating from the late 1500s.

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Example Sentences

If you’re a sports fan with a few thousand dollars to spare, you can try buying a ticket for the next Super Bowl or one for this World Cup first-round game.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 9, 2026

Even those who don’t have as much extra income to spare should contribute up to the employer match, if they have one.

From MarketWatch • May 8, 2026

She speculated that the older people were the ones who had the time to spare.

From Slate • May 4, 2026

Unified strike was dramatically averted with hours to spare on April 14 in a conflict that commanded local and national attention for weeks.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 29, 2026

With practice, one soon discovers that even the most profound ideas can be packed neatly inside the shell of a pistachio, with room to spare.

From "The Interrupted Tale" by Maryrose Wood