spared

verb

past tense of spare
1
as in preserved
to use or give out in stingy amounts I'll have a banana split—and don't spare the whipped cream

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in saved
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

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of spared But more crucial was the American nuclear umbrella, which spared countries such as Germany, Japan and South Korea the need to develop their own bombs. — Fareed Zakaria, Washington Post, 23 Oct. 2026 Contacted by The Times on Thursday, Niemi seemed stunned that David Vulin was spared from prosecution. — James Queally, Los Angeles Times, 22 Oct. 2026 Judi Dench spared herself from the final version of the Cats movie. — Alejandra Gularte, Vulture, 21 Oct. 2026 At the same time, Henderson had his own explanation for why he’d been spared. — Théoden Janes, Charlotte Observer, 21 Oct. 2026 Family members of Sierra also took the stand to defend him in the hopes that he would be spared from being sentenced to death. — Cbs Miami Team, CBS News, 20 Oct. 2026 When Russian gas subsequently stopped flowing, Berlin was spared shortages and a more severe economic crisis largely thanks to other European countries, which provided emergency supplies. — Claas Mertens, Foreign Affairs, 19 Oct. 2026 Luxury retailers were mostly spared by looters, with a few exceptions including the Dries Van Noten beauty and accessories boutique on Via Brera, which on Monday still had shattered windows. — Martino Carrera, Footwear News, 19 Oct. 2026 Performers weren’t spared either, with several forced to perform in the rain without covering for both artists and their equipment. — Isabel Rivera, Miami Herald, 18 Oct. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for spared
  1. preserved
  2. saved
  3. conserved
Verb
  • The attorneys filed the lawsuit, in part, to ensure that any evidence is preserved.
    — Matthew Rodriguez, CBS News, 20 Oct. 2026
  • The conservancy has preserved 100,000 acres in the region since forming in 1974.
    — Mark Price, Charlotte Observer, 19 Oct. 2026
Definition of preserved
Verb
  • Although the entrance was barricaded by a refrigerator and a couch, Gentry found a way inside and all three hostages were saved without injury, Mekosch said.
    — Shambhavi Rimal, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 27 Oct. 2026
  • The move saved one small town in northern Maine $10,000, Collins said.
    — Julia Terruso, Time, 26 Oct. 2026
Definition of saved
Verb
  • Those periods were when the United States government promoted it as an inexpensive, high-protein substitute for meat that the government conserved for soldiers.
    — Kristen Rogers, CNN Money, 22 Oct. 2026
  • Why would a trait this useful, conserved for 3 billion years, vanish in a few thousand generations?
    — Canan Karakoç, The Conversation, 28 Sep. 2026
Definition of conserved

Browse Nearby Words

spare
spared
sparely
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Cite this Entry

“Spared.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/spared. Accessed 27 Oct. 2026.

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