ENGLISH
REFERENCE

sparing

adj.
C1 Advanced US //ˈspɛɹɪŋ// UK //spˈeəɹɪŋ// spar·ing

adj. using very little of something, especially to avoid waste. You use this when you want to be careful with your money, food, or words.

adj. using or giving in small quantities; moderate or frugal in the consumption of resources. Often used to describe a restrained style of communication or the careful use of supplies.


SIMPLE

He is very sparing with his praise.

CONTEXTUAL

During the long drought, the farmers were extremely sparing with their water usage to ensure the livestock survived.

COMPLEX

The author's sparing use of adjectives creates a lean, muscular prose style that forces the reader to focus on the characters' actions rather than their internal states.

Synonyms
Usage

Typically used with the preposition 'with'. Often appears in the phrase 'sparing with the truth' as a euphemism for lying.

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