Spare Definition

spâr
spared, sparer, spares, sparest, sparing
verb
spared, spares, sparing
To refrain from harming, injuring, destroying, or killing.
The general spared the city from a bombardment.
American Heritage
To practice close economy; be frugal or sparing.
Webster's New World
To treat with mercy or leniency; refrain from killing, injuring, troubling, or distressing; save.
Webster's New World
To leave undamaged or unharmed.
The oldest trees in the forest were spared from the fire.
American Heritage
To be merciful or restrained, as in punishing.
Webster's New World
Synonyms:
Antonyms:
adjective
sparer, sparest
Kept in reserve.
Spare parts.
American Heritage
Not in regular use or immediately needed; extra.
A spare room, a spare tire.
Webster's New World
Not taken up by regular work or duties; free.
Spare time.
Webster's New World
Free for other use; unoccupied.
Spare time.
American Heritage
Frugal; meager; scanty.
To live on spare rations.
Webster's New World
Synonyms:
Antonyms:
noun
spares
A replacement, especially a tire, reserved for future need.
American Heritage
A spare, or extra, part, thing, etc.
Webster's New World
The act of knocking down all the pins with two consecutive rolls of the ball.
Webster's New World
A score so made.
Webster's New World

The act of sparing; moderation; restraint.

Wiktionary
Synonyms:
idiom
to spare
  • In addition to what is needed:

    We paid our bills and had money to spare.

American Heritage
something to spare
  • a surplus of something
Webster's New World

Other Word Forms of Spare

Noun

Singular:
spare
Plural:
spares

Adjective

Base Form:
spare
Comparative:
sparer
Superlative:
sparest

Idioms, Phrasal Verbs Related to Spare

Origin of Spare

  • From Middle English sparen, sparien, from Old English sparian (“to spare, show mercy to, refrain from injuring or destroying"), from Proto-Germanic *sparōnÄ…, *sparjanÄ… (“to save, keep, spare"), from Proto-Indo-European *sper- (“to be productive, earn"). Cognate with Scots spar, spare, spair (“to spare"), West Frisian sparje (“to save, spare"), Dutch sparen (“to save, spare"), German sparen (“to save, conserve, economise"), Swedish spara (“to save, save up"), Icelandic spara (“to save, conserve").

    From Wiktionary

  • From Middle English spare, spar, from Old English spær (“sparing, scant"), from Proto-Germanic *sparaz (compare Dutch spaarzaam, German sparsam, German spärlich, Swedish sparsam, Icelandic sparr (“sparing")), from Proto-Indo-European *sper- (cf. Latin prosper "˜lucky', Old Church Slavonic sporÅ­ "˜plentiful', Albanian shperr "˜to earn money', Persian سپار (sepār) "˜entrust; deposit', Ancient Greek sparnós "˜rare', Sanskrit sphirá "˜thick').

    From Wiktionary

  • Middle English sparen from Old English sparian

    From American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition

Spare Sentence Examples

  • This list goes on, but I will spare you.

  • What else are you doing to fill in all your spare time?

  • But I shall spare her.

  • I have brought a spare uniform.

  • I only wish I could spare my brother the first moments.

More Sentences

Related Articles

Find Similar Words

Find similar words to spare using the buttons below.

Words Starting With

SSPSPA

Words Ending With

EREARE

Unscrambles

spare

Words Starting With S and Ending With E

Starts With S & Ends With EStarts With SP & Ends With EStarts With S & Ends With RE

Word Length

5 Letter Words5 Letter Words Starting With S5 Letter Words Ending With E