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

See Examples For:

to spare

In July, Lefevre's office said the levy would not apply to retailers such as H&M or Zara, prompting some to say that the measure appeared to spare European companies.

From BBC ● Sep. 1, 2026

It means Joe Root has won the first two Tests of his second reign as captain, winning this series with a match to spare, in the process earning England's first series triumph since 2024.

From BBC ● Aug. 30, 2026

If you have two hours to spare, go find a bass fisherman and ask them what they think about FFS.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 29, 2026

If the courts don’t stop Pike’s execution, the public should urge Gov. Bill Lee to spare her life.

From Slate ● Aug. 25, 2026

As it turned out, Cory Cormier had always wanted a little sister, and we had one to spare.

From "The Season of Styx Malone" by Kekla Magoon