sparing
adjective
spar·ing ˈsper-iŋ 
1
: marked by or practicing careful restraint (as in the use of resources)
2
: meager, bare
the map is sparing of information
sparingly adverb
Synonyms
- economical
- economizing
- frugal
- provident
- scrimping
- thrifty
See all Synonyms & Antonyms 
Example Sentences
a sparing couple who are trying to save up enough for a house a government agency that has always been sparing of public information
Recent Examples on the Web Mercy for violence, however, remained more sparing. 
New York Times, 17 Nov. 2021
New York Times, 17 Nov. 2021 Word History
First Known Use
14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1
Kids Definition
sparing
adjective
spar·ing
ˈsper-iŋ
: careful in the use of money or supplies
I've been sparing with the cornmeal, but it's almost gone … Laura Ingalls Wilder, Little House on the Prairie
Laura Ingalls Wilder, Little House on the PrairieThe campers were sparing with the matches.
sparing 1 of 2
adjective
1
as in economizing
careful in the management of money or resources a sparing couple who are trying to save up enough for a house Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
- economizing
- saving
- economical
- conserving
- prudent
- preserving
- scrimping
- provident
- thrifty
- frugal
- spare
- pinching
- cheap
- stinting
- parsimonious
- foresighted
- forehanded
- miserly
- close
- stingy
- foresightful
- tightfisted
- mean
- closefisted
- niggard
- penurious
- tight
- niggardly
- penny-pinching
- penny-wise
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- wasteful
- profligate
- prodigal
- squandering
- spendthrift
- generous
- unthrifty
- improvident
- bountiful
- shortsighted
- liberal
- unsparing
- munificent
- charitable
- unselfish
- thriftless
- lavish
- openhanded
- extravagant
- indulgent
- freehanded
2
as in careful
giving or sharing as little as possible a government agency that has always been sparing of public information Synonyms & Similar Words
- careful
- pinching
- spare
- stinting
- close
- saving
- conserving
- selfish
- desirous
- parsimonious
- miserly
- economizing
- greedy
- stingy
- tight
- mean
- tightfisted
- mingy
- closefisted
- cheap
- niggard
- pinchpenny
- ungenerous
- economical
- penurious
- niggardly
- uncharitable
- small
- skimping
- penny-pinching
- chintzy
- scrimping
- chary
- thrifty
- grasping
- frugal
- grudging
- coveting
- begrudging
- hoggish
- avaricious
- covetous
- envious
- mercenary
- avid
- sordid
- acquisitive
- rapacious
- shabby
- resentful
- itchy
- inhospitable
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- generous
- bountiful
- unstinting
- bounteous
- liberal
- openhanded
- unsparing
- charitable
- munificent
- free
- selfless
- lavish
- extravagant
- unselfish
- profuse
- altruistic
- handsome
- overgenerous
- wasting
- benevolent
- magnanimous
- hospitable
- kindly
- freehanded
- humanitarian
- beneficent
- compassionate
- philanthropic
- philanthropical
- squandering
- profligate
- wasteful
- openhearted
- dissipating
- prodigal
- greathearted
- unthrifty
- spendthrift
- good-hearted
- frittering
- splurging
- thriftless
3
as in sparse
less plentiful than what is normal, necessary, or desirable unfortunately, the explanation of the health insurance plan was somewhat sparing on details Synonyms & Similar Words
- sparse
- scarce
- spare
- poor
- scant
- scanty
- lacking
- meager
- stingy
- skimp
- lowest
- small
- light
- skimpy
- insufficient
- minimal
- short
- mere
- meagre
- slender
- inadequate
- niggardly
- exiguous
- least
- thin on the ground
- deficient
- wanting
- slim
- hand-to-mouth
- slightest
- littlest
- thin
- bare
- slight
- sterile
- bare-bones
- unfruitful
- unproductive
- barren
- infertile
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- sufficient
- ample
- adequate
- generous
- enough
- abundant
- copious
- bountiful
- satisfactory
- liberal
- plentiful
- rich
- tolerable
- fruitful
- plenteous
- extra
- prolific
- fat
- fertile
- lavish
- excess
- bursting
- luxuriant
- flourishing
- fecund
- surplus
- thriving
- proliferative
- teeming
- swarming
- blooming
sparing
2 of 2verb
1
as in conserving
to use or give out in stingy amounts I'll have a banana split—and don't spare the whipped cream Synonyms & Similar Words
- conserving
- preserving
- scanting
- shortchanging
- nursing
- pinching
- skimping (on)
- doling out
- stinting (on)
- meting (out)
- rationing (out)
- portioning (out)
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- pouring
- showering
- heaping
- raining
- lavishing
2
as in saving
to avoid unnecessary waste or expense she had grown up during the Great Depression, so she was no stranger to sparing Synonyms & Similar Words
- saving
- conserving
- economizing
- managing
- skimping
- preserving
- scrimping
- pinching
- maintaining
- scraping
- husbanding
- pinching pennies
- hoarding
- cutting down
- retrenching
- cutting back
- laying up
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- wasting
- spending
- squandering
- blowing
- lavishing
- dissipating
- throwing away
- running through
- frittering (away)
- misspending
- splurging
Synonym Chooser
Some common synonyms of sparing are economical, frugal, and thrifty. While all these words mean "careful in the use of one's money or resources," sparing stresses abstention and restraint.
sparing in the offering of advice
Although the words economical and sparing have much in common, economical stresses prudent management, lack of wastefulness, and use of things to their best advantage.
an economical health-care plan
In some situations, the words frugal and sparing are roughly equivalent. However, frugal implies absence of luxury and simplicity of lifestyle.
ran a frugal household
While in some cases nearly identical to sparing, thrifty stresses good management and industry.
thrifty use of nonrenewable resources
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