1
a
: a small particle of a burning substance thrown out by a body in combustion or remaining when combustion is nearly completed
b
: a hot glowing particle struck from a larger mass
especially
: one heated by friction
2
a
: a luminous disruptive electrical discharge of very short duration between two conductors separated by a gas (such as air)
b
: the discharge in a spark plug
c
: the mechanism controlling the discharge in a spark plug
4
: something that sets off a sudden force
provided the spark that helped the team to rally
5
: a latent particle capable of growth or developing : germ
still retains a spark of decency
6
sparks plural in form but singular in construction
: a radio operator on a ship
sparked; sparking; sparks
1
a
: to throw out sparks
b
: to flash or fall like sparks
2
: to produce sparks
specifically
: to have the electric ignition working
3
: to respond with enthusiasm
Examples of spark in a Sentence
Noun (1)
not a spark of interest in the actress's memoirs
Verb (1)
the broken radio sparked and smoked the instant it was plugged in
interesting questions that are designed to spark the reader's brain
President Kennedy's inspirational speeches sparked a generation of young idealists to enter the public arena
Recent Examples on the Web
Jenny Anderson, The Atlantic, 26 Feb. 2025
From Cypress Hill To Capitol Hill: B-Real, Policy And Cube’s Next Moves
For Ice Cube, the deeper dive into cannabis began with an unexpected spark inside a recording studio.
—Javier Hasse, Forbes, 25 Feb. 2025
Gurhan Kok, Forbes, 27 Feb. 2025
Courtenay Brown Updated Feb 2, 2025 - Business Trump tariffs begin, with levies on Canada, Mexico, China
President Trump on Saturday imposed across-the-board tariffs on North American allies and China, which sparked immediate retaliation against domestic manufacturers.
—Courtenay Brown, Axios, 27 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for spark
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
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Noun
Luis experienced the success of mastery and felt the spark of internal motivation.
—Jenny Anderson, The Atlantic, 26 Feb. 2025
From Cypress Hill To Capitol Hill: B-Real, Policy And Cube’s Next Moves
For Ice Cube, the deeper dive into cannabis began with an unexpected spark inside a recording studio.
—Javier Hasse, Forbes, 25 Feb. 2025
Verb
Pioneering The Future Of Retail The rise of AI in retail has sparked concerns about job displacement.
—Gurhan Kok, Forbes, 27 Feb. 2025
Courtenay Brown Updated Feb 2, 2025 - Business Trump tariffs begin, with levies on Canada, Mexico, China
President Trump on Saturday imposed across-the-board tariffs on North American allies and China, which sparked immediate retaliation against domestic manufacturers.
—Courtenay Brown, Axios, 27 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for spark
Cite this Entry
“Spark.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/spark. Accessed 3 Mar. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
spark
1 of 3 noun1
a
: a small bit of a burning material
b
: a hot glowing bit struck from a mass
2
: a short bright flash of electricity between two points
4
: a small amount that could grow into something larger
still has a spark of decency
spark
2 of 3 verb1
: to give off or cause to give off sparks
2
: to cause to get going
the question sparked quite an argument
sparked the team to victory
Etymology
Noun
Old English spearca "spark"
Verb
from earlier spark (noun) "a foolish young man, boyfriend"
Biographical Definition
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Merriam-Webster unabridged
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