How to Use spar in a Sentence

spar

1 of 2 noun
  • This dense mass, called a spar platform, works like the keel of a boat.
    — IEEE Spectrum, 23 Sep. 2023
  • Its masts point skyward, with rigging and ropes tied to spars and lying on deck.
    — John Flesher, Fortune, 1 Mar. 2023
  • Along the way, the two of them verbally spar and match wits on a variety of topics.
    — Los Angeles Times, 10 Apr. 2026
  • Craters pitted the earth; hummocks rose and fell; downed trees jutted from slash heaps like the spars of shipwrecks.
    — Ben Goldfarb, Smithsonian Magazine, 13 Feb. 2024
  • On the undecorated back side of the sail, tape the spars in place, as shown below.
    — Jaclyn Cosgrove, Los Angeles Times, 3 May 2026
  • Experts say any repair to a wing spar is significant.
    — Abe Streep, ProPublica, 9 June 2026
  • In the flavor melee, sweet and savory align rather than spar; the balance allows the spices to come forward and throw off sparks.
    — Bill Addison, Los Angeles Times, 24 Feb. 2021
  • One of the most suspenseful bidding spars of the night was for a work by Agnes Martin.
    — Angelica Villa For Artnews, Robb Report, 16 Nov. 2021
  • Watch her spar with Arnold in a shouting match that feels improvised and so deeply emotional.
    — Terry Byrne, BostonGlobe.com, 13 Dec. 2022
  • The teal magnesium frame curls, kinks and plunges from the central spar, and the wing-like seatpost/battery give the look some heft.
    — Bill Roberson, Forbes, 27 Dec. 2022
  • Before the jury comes in, lawyers for each side spar over what evidence can be presented and what questions can be asked.
    — New York Times, 11 Oct. 2021
  • The uniformed kid and the fancy FBI agent spar and bond; maybe the local cops aren’t so dumb after all.
    — Chris Jones, Chicago Tribune, 27 Oct. 2022
  • The two no longer spar on air, so expect mirth rather than rancor at Foxwoods’ Premier Theater.
    — Christopher Arnott, Hartford Courant, 14 Mar. 2026
  • Attached to that tub are front and rear alloy subframes (think of them as big spars) to carry the powertrain and also the suspension.
    — Mark Ewing, Forbes, 17 Oct. 2024
  • Off stage, Benedick and Beatrice spar their way toward the aisle, while our bumbling constables take center stage.
    — Cincinnati Enquirer, 7 Mar. 2026
  • One repair, done in 2012, fixed a crack in the left spar — a load-bearing beam extending outward from the fuselage.
    — Abe Streep, ProPublica, 9 June 2026
  • Kerger makes the case for kids’ programming, and spars with Ben about the relevance of broadcast television in the first place.
    — Ben Smith, semafor.com, 15 Dec. 2025
  • This is the latest spar between the governor and Phoenix's mayor during the pandemic.
    — Nicole Sadek, The Arizona Republic, 2 Apr. 2021
  • The area of the sail (in our case, the trapezoid shape in our newspaper) to the weight of the spars (the frame or rigid sticks that allow the kite to hold its shape) really matters.
    — Jaclyn Cosgrove, Los Angeles Times, 3 May 2026
  • Meanwhile, Baldwin has billed Hovde as an out-of-touch wealthy businessman as the two spar over the seat in the battleground state.
    — Kaia Hubbard, CBS News, 21 Oct. 2024
  • Heavier spars require a larger sail while people who build miniature kites sometimes don’t include a spar or will only use half a toothpick, Choi said.
    — Jaclyn Cosgrove, Los Angeles Times, 3 May 2026
  • The two spar; Lee knocks Cliff off his feet first, then Cliff tosses Lee into a prop automobile, leaving a dent.
    — Danny Chau, The Atlantic, 22 June 2020
  • Most of them are watching the ring, where Jada is throwing her weight at the taller, lankier Jahnyah Lumpkin as the two young boxers spar.
    — Rebecca Lurye, courant.com, 19 July 2021
  • Schlapp wrote the article after appearing on Keilar's show on Tuesday, where the two engaged in an intense spar over the issue of voter fraud.
    — Haley Victory Smith, Washington Examiner, 6 Aug. 2020
  • Rock formations with evocative names—boxwork, calcite rafts, dogtooth spar, frostwork—add glorious texture to the underground maze.
    — Robert Annis, Midwest Living, 14 May 2026
  • The strength of the film isn’t just the sheer force of her Streepness bulldozing everything in its path, but in watching her spar with Wiest and Bergen, all at the top of their game.
    — Anne Cohen, refinery29.com, 14 Dec. 2020
  • Poll leaders Carter and Collins spar in debate After months of attacks online and through ads, Carter and Collins went head-to-head in the debate.
    — Irene Wright, USA Today, 27 Apr. 2026
  • Watching all of these intellectuals reconnect, spar about their legacies, and continue to debate the very ideas that brought them together in the first place is a treat for scholars and history buffs.
    — Christian Zilko, IndieWire, 26 Jan. 2026
  • To construct the wing spar and some other parts, Décision’s builders layered sheets of carbon fiber around a honeycomb of cardboard, giving the pieces both strength and flexibility.
    — Helen Fields, Discover Magazine, 20 May 2014
  • Its position makes national park access easy, while wildlife lovers will enjoy visiting in the fall, when the town celebrates the annual elk rut, a mating ritual where the bull elk spar for mating rights.
    — Evie Carrick, Travel + Leisure, 13 June 2024

spar

2 of 2 verb
  • He's been sparring with his trainer.
  • They sparred playfully over whose team was better.
  • Some might spar, some might soothe.
    — Magi Helena, Dallas Morning News, 16 Jan. 2026
  • Thank you for sparring with me.
    — Jacob Beltran, San Antonio Express-News, 29 Jan. 2026
  • Now, the attorneys will have to spar over the next court date.
    — Darcie Moran, Detroit Free Press, 3 Dec. 2020
  • Push-ups, weight room, sparring every day for three hours.
    — Touré, Rolling Stone, 14 Oct. 2025
  • Trump has also sparred with Macron in recent days.
    — Miranda Jeyaretnam, Time, 20 Jan. 2026
  • Nobody passed that test that long who was not able to spar with them and maintain their own.
    — Rob Sheffield, Rolling Stone, 10 Dec. 2023
  • Then the two seemed to spar over whose victims were more important.
    — Los Angeles Times, 24 Feb. 2023
  • So equipped, children are prepared to think for themselves and spar with ideas not their own.
    — Steven F. Wilson, The Atlantic, 24 Apr. 2026
  • Today lawmakers will spar about which changes make it over the finish line.
    — Amanda Gokee, BostonGlobe.com, 6 Apr. 2023
  • The two would spar about height, but Wahlberg avoided a direct measure-off.
    — Bryan Alexander, USA TODAY, 17 Feb. 2022
  • The on-air clash erupted when the two were sparring over Elon Musk’s ethics.
    — Amber Corrine, VIBE.com, 20 Mar. 2025
  • Garcia was gassed, mid weight cut, after 12 rounds of hard sparring in his boots.
    — Tyler R. Tynes, Los Angeles Times, 27 Apr. 2023
  • Romero claims they were supposed to share the ring before that, but Davis twice backed out of plans to spar with him.
    — Brian Mahoney, ajc, 27 May 2022
  • The two candidates continued to spar, but by then their mics had been muted.
    — Dominic Patten, Deadline, 1 Oct. 2024
  • And as the money starts moving, different parties could spar over how to spend it.
    — Andrew Joseph, STAT, 1 Aug. 2021
  • The pair sparred on the issues but largely shied away from personal attacks.
    — Stephanie Murray, The Arizona Republic, 2 Oct. 2024
  • The two have often sparred in public comments in the ensuing months.
    — Joanne Haner, The Hill, 9 Dec. 2024
  • And yes, Shields did actually spar with her boyfriend as a teenager.
    — Sean Gregory, TIME, 25 Dec. 2024
  • In his cross, Adams repeatedly sparred with Maani over the terms of that deal.
    — Jason Meisner, Chicago Tribune, 10 Apr. 2025
  • The next moment, the boys are wearing boxing gloves and sparring helmets.
    — Jon Blistein, Rolling Stone, 22 May 2025
  • This year’s budget, like last year’s, was delayed as the House and Senate sparred.
    — Lawrence Mower, Miami Herald, 29 June 2026
  • Late last year, Biden and Netanyahu publicly sparred with over plans for post-war Gaza.
    — Nadeen Ebrahim, CNN, 11 Mar. 2024
  • The pair are likely to spar on the dais should Regalado be elected.
    — Tess Riski, Miami Herald, 22 May 2025
  • Oh, and the elk, which are busy sparring and bugling as part of their annual mating ritual.
    — Graham Averill, Outside, 26 Sep. 2025
  • As the number of candidates dwindles, there may soon only be Trump to spar with.
    — Averi Harper, ABC News, 11 Jan. 2024
  • In the first video, Hemsworth's son can be seen sparring with his instructor as the dad of three proudly looks on.
    — Hannah Sacks, People.com, 26 Nov. 2024
  • Officials have sparred over the plan since it was first announced in late January.
    — Brandon Goldner, CBS News, 30 Apr. 2026
  • In the mayor's race, Aly Cline and Kevin Sartor sparred over ethics.
    — Sean Holstege, The Arizona Republic, 30 July 2024

Some of these examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'spar.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Last Updated: