1
as in conserves
to use or give out in stingy amounts
I'll have a banana split—and don't spare the whipped cream
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in saves
to avoid unnecessary waste or expense
she had grown up during the Great Depression, so she was no stranger to sparing
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in substitutes
an interchangeable part or piece of equipment that is kept on hand for replacement of an original
we promptly replaced the burnt-out lightbulb with a spare
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of spares
CBS News, 5 Feb. 2026
The film spares nothing in showing the cruelty he and others, including Lupita Nyong'o's Patsey, endured.
—Allison Degrushe, Entertainment Weekly, 30 Dec. 2025
The new hospital opening at 1000 Fivepoint spares patients in this region a commute to Duarte, the site of City of Hope’s founding campus.
—Victoria Le, Oc Register, 1 Dec. 2025
Pardoning a turkey is a ceremonial gesture whereby the president spares select turkeys from becoming Thanksgiving meals.
—Hollie Silverman, MSNBC Newsweek, 25 Nov. 2025
The Justice Department has said a trial risks a jury verdict that spares Boeing from further punishment.
—Jamie Stengle, Fortune, 6 Nov. 2025
YouTube continues to be a dominant force in advertising and entertainment, but the disruption from generative artificial intelligence spares no company.
—Alex Weprin, HollywoodReporter, 29 Oct. 2025
This is precisely the case with Garnier’s All-in-1 Micellar Cleansing Water, which spares you from having to rub at your face or use water to rinse off a cleanser.
—Stacia Datskovska, Footwear News, 8 Oct. 2025
That spares lawmakers any real costs right away, but the upcoming holiday weekend might dog them at home with their neighbors.
—Phil Elliott, Time, 8 Oct. 2025
New Atlas, 17 Jan. 2026
Precision is necessary to pick up spares.
—Kirk Kenney, San Diego Union-Tribune, 25 Dec. 2025
The deal valued at approximately $450 million including spares, support, logistics, and training.
—Prabhat Ranjan Mishra, Interesting Engineering, 23 Nov. 2025
Keeping a physical key, and a few spares, handy is always a good idea.
—Cody Godwin, USA Today, 16 Nov. 2025
Probably requires at least splash resistant hands (or a whole bunch of spares).
—IEEE Spectrum, 4 Nov. 2025
Furthermore, all items containing lithium metal or lithium-ion batteries, along with spares or uninstalled batteries, belong in carry-on baggage, according to the Federal Aviation Administration.
—Mariyam Muhammad, Cincinnati Enquirer, 19 Sep. 2025
Something around the house is always in need of new batteries, and the junk drawer can be a good place to keep the spares.
—Hallie Milstein, Southern Living, 17 Sep. 2025
The Dutch driver likely purchased the car at its full price of approximately $475,000, along with an additional set of wheels and a package of spares.
—Nelson Espinal, MSNBC Newsweek, 16 Sep. 2025
Verb
Its small population of 280,000, however, spares it from being a prime target for large-scale drug trafficking.
—CBS News, 5 Feb. 2026
The film spares nothing in showing the cruelty he and others, including Lupita Nyong'o's Patsey, endured.
—Allison Degrushe, Entertainment Weekly, 30 Dec. 2025
The new hospital opening at 1000 Fivepoint spares patients in this region a commute to Duarte, the site of City of Hope’s founding campus.
—Victoria Le, Oc Register, 1 Dec. 2025
Pardoning a turkey is a ceremonial gesture whereby the president spares select turkeys from becoming Thanksgiving meals.
—Hollie Silverman, MSNBC Newsweek, 25 Nov. 2025
The Justice Department has said a trial risks a jury verdict that spares Boeing from further punishment.
—Jamie Stengle, Fortune, 6 Nov. 2025
YouTube continues to be a dominant force in advertising and entertainment, but the disruption from generative artificial intelligence spares no company.
—Alex Weprin, HollywoodReporter, 29 Oct. 2025
This is precisely the case with Garnier’s All-in-1 Micellar Cleansing Water, which spares you from having to rub at your face or use water to rinse off a cleanser.
—Stacia Datskovska, Footwear News, 8 Oct. 2025
That spares lawmakers any real costs right away, but the upcoming holiday weekend might dog them at home with their neighbors.
—Phil Elliott, Time, 8 Oct. 2025
Noun
That means having standard spares available and maintenance procedures drawn up and tested.
—New Atlas, 17 Jan. 2026
Precision is necessary to pick up spares.
—Kirk Kenney, San Diego Union-Tribune, 25 Dec. 2025
The deal valued at approximately $450 million including spares, support, logistics, and training.
—Prabhat Ranjan Mishra, Interesting Engineering, 23 Nov. 2025
Keeping a physical key, and a few spares, handy is always a good idea.
—Cody Godwin, USA Today, 16 Nov. 2025
Probably requires at least splash resistant hands (or a whole bunch of spares).
—IEEE Spectrum, 4 Nov. 2025
Furthermore, all items containing lithium metal or lithium-ion batteries, along with spares or uninstalled batteries, belong in carry-on baggage, according to the Federal Aviation Administration.
—Mariyam Muhammad, Cincinnati Enquirer, 19 Sep. 2025
Something around the house is always in need of new batteries, and the junk drawer can be a good place to keep the spares.
—Hallie Milstein, Southern Living, 17 Sep. 2025
The Dutch driver likely purchased the car at its full price of approximately $475,000, along with an additional set of wheels and a package of spares.
—Nelson Espinal, MSNBC Newsweek, 16 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for spares
Verb
-
As the body conserves heat, circulation may be redirected toward vital organs, reducing blood flow to joints in the extremities.—
Miriam Fauzia,
Dallas Morning News,
23 Jan. 2026
-
Adding a 2- to 4-inch layer of mulch around fruit tree bases insulates the soil, conserves moisture, and reduces weeds.—
Lauren Landers,
Better Homes & Gardens,
17 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
This enables, for example, ultra-fast charging while requiring only thinner cables, which saves weight and costs.—
Prabhat Ranjan Mishra,
Interesting Engineering,
12 Feb. 2026
-
Five minutes of sorting your meds into an efficient pill organizer saves space for far more important things (like an extra pair of shoes).—
Carin Ryan,
Travel + Leisure,
11 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Milk, milk substitutes, plain bottled water, 100% juice, coffee, and drinks prepared at home are not considered soft drinks.—
Isa Almeida,
Oklahoman,
14 Feb. 2026
-
When Edwards turned to his substitutes’ bench, Jean-Ricner Bellegarde was the only senior attack-minded option at his disposal.—
Steve Madeley,
New York Times,
12 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
The spa preserves the monastic tradition of herbal medicine, reflecting the balanced relationship between ora et labora ('pray and work' in Latin), or between being active and resting.—
Jenn Rice,
Travel + Leisure,
8 Feb. 2026
-
Still today, the island preserves a feeling of Old Florida authenticity—bikeability, mom-and-pop style inns and a Sunday Sanibel Farmers Market.—
Kelsey Glennon,
Southern Living,
7 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Casting calls in the New York area for extras to play footmen indicate filming will start there in March.—
Paul Edward Parker,
The Providence Journal,
13 Feb. 2026
-
Store the extras in your larger carry-on or checked bag.—
Carin Ryan,
Travel + Leisure,
11 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
The results point to a future where things like knee braces, exoskeletons, or even joint replacements could be tailored to an individual’s exact joint motion.—
Prabhat Ranjan Mishra,
Interesting Engineering,
9 Feb. 2026
-
As 2026 approaches, more executives are beginning to explore similar forms of digital assistance, not as replacements for human judgment, but as extensions of it.—
Matt Emma,
USA Today,
8 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Expect backups and a few detours.—
Howard Cohen,
Miami Herald,
11 Feb. 2026
-
Carry physical charging cards as backups.—
Christopher Elliott,
USA Today,
9 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Oceans are expected to hold vast reserves of 230 billion tons.—
Mrigakshi Dixit,
Interesting Engineering,
10 Feb. 2026
-
There are wildlife reserves, once beloved by Hollywood stars like John Wayne and Gregory Peck, where new lodges have begun opening up.—
Lisa Grainger,
Condé Nast Traveler,
10 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Spares.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/spares. Accessed 15 Feb. 2026.
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