Definitions
01extra or additional
A2 · Elementary
adj. available to use because it is extra and not currently needed.
adj. held in reserve as an extra or additional item for use when the primary is unavailable.
日本語:予備の※
“We have a spare bedroom if you want to stay the night.”
“The technician kept a spare set of cables in the van to ensure that any hardware failures could be addressed immediately without returning to the warehouse.”
Synonyms
02plain or simple
C1 · Advanced Literary
adj. plain and simple, without any extra decoration or detail.
adj. characterised by a lack of ornamentation or excess; lean and economical in style.
“The poet is known for her spare and beautiful writing style.”
“The architect's spare design relied on the quality of the raw concrete and natural light rather than applied decoration.”
Synonyms
03to give or afford
B1 · Intermediate
v. to give something to someone because you do not need it yourself.
v. to manage to give or lend something, such as time or money, without inconvenience.
“Can you spare a few minutes to help me with this box?”
“Despite her busy schedule, the professor managed to spare an hour to review the graduate student's preliminary findings.”
04to show mercy
B2 · Upper Intermediate
v. to not hurt or destroy someone or something when you have the power to do so.
v. to refrain from harming, punishing, or killing; to allow to go free.
“The king decided to spare the prisoner's life at the last moment.”
“The invading army was ordered to spare the historic library, as the general valued the preservation of cultural heritage over total destruction.”
05to prevent something unpleasant
B2 · Upper Intermediate
v. to prevent someone from having to experience something difficult or boring.
v. to save someone from the necessity of doing or experiencing something unpleasant.
“I will spare you the boring details of my long commute.”
“The witness was asked to summarise her statement to spare the family the trauma of hearing the graphic details again.”
Antonyms
06a replacement part
B1 · Intermediate Countable noun
n. an extra item, like a tyre or a key, kept in case the first one breaks.
n. a duplicate or replacement part kept in reserve for emergency use.
“If you lose your house key, there is a spare under the flowerpot.”
“The driver realised he had a flat tyre but was relieved to find a full-sized spare in the trunk.”
Synonyms
07bowling term
B2 · Upper Intermediate Countable noun Sports
n. knocking down all the pins using two tries in one turn.
n. the act of knocking down all ten pins with the second ball of a frame.
“She got a spare in the final round and won the game.”
“After failing to knock down all the pins with his first delivery, the bowler managed a difficult spare by clipping the remaining pin on the far left.”
Antonyms
Collocations
Common phrases and expressions where native English speakers use the word “spare” in context.
Verb
01. spare a thought for the victims
“Please spare a thought for the victims of the flood during this difficult time.”
verb + noun + prep + noun
02. spare no expense
“The company decided to spare no expense to ensure the launch party was a success.”
verb + noun
03. spare the feelings of the staff
“The manager tried to spare the feelings of the staff when announcing the budget cuts.”
verb + noun + of + noun
Adjective
04. spare bedroom
“We have a spare bedroom if you ever need a place to stay for the night.”
adj + noun
05. spare change
“He reached into his pocket to see if he had any spare change for the bus.”
adj + noun
06. spare time
“What do you enjoy doing in your spare time when you aren't working?”
adj + noun
Noun
07. spare parts
“The mechanic had to order some spare parts to fix the broken engine.”
adj + noun
08. spare tire
“It is important to check the air pressure in your spare tire before a long road trip.”
adj + noun
Real-World Examples
“The Taliban have Afghanistan in a chokehold that spares no one.” “Passengers were told to disembark and spend the night after a spare part needed to be flown in from Dubai.” Etymology
From Middle English spare, spar, from Old English spær (“sparing, scant”), from Proto-Germanic sparaz, from Proto-Indo-European sph₁rós, from the root *speh₁-. Compare Dutch spaar(zaam), German spar(sam) and spär(lich), Swedish spar(sam), Icelandic sparr (“sparing”); also Latin (pro)sperus (“lucky”), Old Church Slavonic споръ (sporŭ, “plentiful”), Albanian shperr (“earn money”), Persian سپار (sepâr, “entrust; deposit”), Ancient Greek σπαρνός (sparnós, “rare”), Sanskrit स्फिर (sphirá, “thick”).
From Middle English sparen, sparien, from Old English sparian (“to spare, show mercy to, refrain from injuring or destroying”), from Proto-Germanic sparōną, sparāną (“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”).
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Idioms
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.B2 FirstIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.5.5–6.5TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 4.0–4.572–94TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.785–944
- Frequency
- Common
- Level
- B2 · Upper IntermediateOxford
- Updated
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QR code
englishreference.com/q/spare
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「日本語」「カタカナ語」 data: JMdict (EDRDG), CC BY-SA 4.0