SPARE Synonyms: 310 Similar and Opposite Words

Q: How does the adjective 'spare' contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of spare are gaunt , lanky , lank , lean , rawboned , scrawny , and skinny . While all these words mean "thin because of an absence of excess flesh," spare suggests leanness from abstemious living or constant exercise. // the gymnast's spare figure

Q: When could 'gaunt' be used to replace 'spare'?

The words gaunt and spare are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, gaunt implies marked thinness or emaciation as from overwork or suffering. // a prisoner's gaunt face

Q: When is 'lank' a more appropriate choice than 'spare'?

The meanings of lank and spare largely overlap; however, lank implies tallness as well as leanness. // the lank legs of the heron

Q: When is it sensible to use 'lanky' instead of 'spare'?

In some situations, the words lanky and spare are roughly equivalent. However, lanky suggests awkwardness and loose-jointedness as well as thinness. // a lanky youth, all arms and legs

Q: When can 'lean' be used instead of 'spare'?

The synonyms lean and spare are sometimes interchangeable, but lean stresses lack of fat and of curving contours. // a lean racehorse

Q: When would 'rawboned' be a good substitute for 'spare'?

The words rawboned and spare can be used in similar contexts, but rawboned suggests a large ungainly build without implying undernourishment. // a rawboned farmer

Q: How do 'scrawny' and 'skinny' relate to one another, in the sense of 'spare'?

Both scrawny and skinny imply an extreme leanness that suggests deficient strength and vitality. // a scrawny chicken // skinny street urchins

spare 1 of 3

verb

Definition of spare next

as in to scant

to use or give out in stingy amounts I'll have a banana split—and don't spare the whipped cream

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in to save

to avoid unnecessary waste or expense she had grown up during the Great Depression, so she was no stranger to sparing

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

spare

2 of 3

adjective

ˈsper

as in extra

being over what is needed I had some spare time to kill, so I cleaned up my cubicle a bit

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in careful

giving or sharing as little as possible a man who is kind and gentle but definitely spare of speech

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in thin

having a noticeably small amount of body fat a tall, spare man

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in scarce

less plentiful than what is normal, necessary, or desirable spare vegetation that made foraging very difficult

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

spare

3 of 3

noun

as in backup

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

How does the adjective spare contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of spare are gaunt, lanky, lank, lean, rawboned, scrawny, and skinny. While all these words mean "thin because of an absence of excess flesh," spare suggests leanness from abstemious living or constant exercise.

the gymnast's spare figure

When could gaunt be used to replace spare?

The words gaunt and spare are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, gaunt implies marked thinness or emaciation as from overwork or suffering.

a prisoner's gaunt face

When is lank a more appropriate choice than spare?

The meanings of lank and spare largely overlap; however, lank implies tallness as well as leanness.

the lank legs of the heron

When is it sensible to use lanky instead of spare?

In some situations, the words lanky and spare are roughly equivalent. However, lanky suggests awkwardness and loose-jointedness as well as thinness.

a lanky youth, all arms and legs

When can lean be used instead of spare?

The synonyms lean and spare are sometimes interchangeable, but lean stresses lack of fat and of curving contours.

a lean racehorse

When would rawboned be a good substitute for spare?

The words rawboned and spare can be used in similar contexts, but rawboned suggests a large ungainly build without implying undernourishment.

a rawboned farmer

How do scrawny and skinny relate to one another, in the sense of spare?

Both scrawny and skinny imply an extreme leanness that suggests deficient strength and vitality.

a scrawny chicken

skinny street urchins

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 spare

Verb

Best sports bras An actually supportive sports bra can make high-impact activities like runs more enjoyable (and spare you from back pain down the line). —

Sara Coughlin, SELF, 22 Jan. 2025 Please spare us the lengthy print analyses and TV segments on the Political Status of Greenland or the History of the Canal or how many congressional seats Canada would get. —

Al Pessin, Sun Sentinel, 21 Jan. 2025

Adjective

But Glaser’s instinct is the opposite: To go quick and spare, allow jokes to go over heads as long as there’s a promise of another one coming soon after. —

Jason Zinoman, New York Times, 3 Jan. 2025 Seconds Market, a clothing swap service, has launched a form connecting donors who want to send spare clothes directly to someone who was impacted by the fires. —

Caelyn Pender, The Mercury News, 12 Jan. 2025

Noun

All were replicated for Mescal’s version as the team crafted six replica breastplates: two for Mescal, one for his stunt double, one for a riding double, one for underwater scenes, and a spare. —

Kalia Richardson, Rolling Stone, 24 Nov. 2024 Use the yellow pair for dishwashing, the orange pair to clean the bathroom, the blue pair to wash the car, and the pink pair as a spare. —

Hyphensocial Contributors, Rolling Stone, 17 Sep. 2024 See all Example Sentences for spare

Recent Examples of Synonyms for spare

Verb

By scanting this complexity, Remnick leaves readers with a less than totally satisfying depiction of Obama's encounter with the world of black Chicago.

— Walter Russell Mead, Foreign Affairs, 1 July 2010
Trump captured attention his first time around, in part, by talking about issues that other candidates scanted: the threat of China, chaos at the southern border.

— NR Editors, National Review, 22 Dec. 2023

Definition of scant

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Style

“Spare.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/spare. Accessed 2 Feb. 2025.

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Last Updated: 31 Jan 2025 - Updated example sentences

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