# sparing

/ˈspɛɹɪŋ/ (US) · /spˈeəɹɪŋ/ (UK) · CEFR C1 · Adjective

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/sparing
Updated: 2026-05-11

## Definition

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

For teachers: 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.

## Examples

- He is very sparing with his praise.
- During the long drought, the farmers were extremely sparing with their water usage to ensure the livestock survived.
- 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.

## Usage notes

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

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