spare

SaySPAIR/spɛɚ/UK/spɛə(ɹ)/

Adjectivesparer, sparest

Verbspares, sparing, spared

Noun pluralspares

19 meanings of spare

Practice

1
adjective
Extra, and not being used now, so it is free for someone to use or have.
Like an empty chair just waiting for someone to sit down.
Do you have a spare pencil I can borrow?
Is there a spare desk I can use today?
UsageSay a spare pencil, or time to spare.
Similarextra, free, surplus, available, unused
Oppositeoccupied
2
verbtransitive
To not hurt, kill, or punish someone, even though you could, or to leave something undamaged.
Like letting a small fish go instead of keeping it.
The king decided to spare the captured prisoner.
They begged the soldiers to spare the village.
UsageSay spare the prisoner, or spare him the pain.
Similarsave, pardon, exempt, excuse
Oppositeharm, kill, punish, condemn
Note
3
nouncountable
An extra one that you keep in case you need it, especially an extra tire for a car.
Like keeping an extra shoelace in case one of yours snaps.
When we got a flat, we quickly put on the spare.
The trunk had no spare, so we called for help.
UsageSay put on the spare.
Similarbackup, replacement, reserve, extra
4
adjective
Kept ready to use if something goes wrong or is needed later.
Like keeping an extra umbrella in your bag in case it rains.
Always keep a spare key hidden near the door.
We packed a spare battery in case the first one died.
UsageSay a spare key.
Similarbackup, extra, auxiliary
Oppositemain, primary
5
verbtransitive
To give someone time, money, or things because you can manage without them.
Like sharing some of your snacks when you have more than enough.
Can you spare a few minutes to help me with this?
I'm busy this week, but I can spare an hour on Friday.
UsageSay can you spare a minute.
Similargive, afford, release, allot
6
not tellverbtransitive
To hold something back from someone, like words or details you choose not to share.
Like choosing not to tell a scary story so no one gets frightened.
Please spare me your excuses and just tell the truth.
She spared them the worst details of the report.
UsageSay spare me the excuses.
Similarsave
Note
7
plain (style)adjective
Very simple and plain, with nothing extra added.
Like a clean desk with only a pen and a notebook on it.
The room had a spare, modern look with bare walls.
His writing style is spare and direct.
UsageSay spare writing or spare design.
Similaraustere, minimal, stark, plain, lean
Oppositeornate, elaborate, florid, lavish

Less common meanings

8
nouncountable
In bowling, knocking down all the pins still standing with your second ball of a turn.
Like getting a second chance to clear the board and still score well.
She picked up a spare in the very last frame.
He needed a spare to stay ahead of his rival.
UsageSay she picked up a spare.
Note
9
scarceadjective
Small in amount and not much of something.
Like having only a few drops of water left in the bottle.
We lived on a spare diet of rice and beans that winter.
The soldiers lived on a spare diet of rice and beans.
Similarsparse, scant, meager, scanty, thin
Oppositeabundant, plentiful, ample, lush
10
thin (body)adjective
Thin and bony, with little fat on the body.
Like a thin stray cat with its ribs showing.
The marathon runner had a spare, muscular build.
Her spare frame made the heavy coat hang loosely.
UsageSay a spare frame.
Similarlean, thin, gaunt, wiry, skinny
Oppositeplump, stout, fat, portly
Note
11
free period (school)nounCanadacountable
A time at school when you do not have a class.
Like a break in your school day with nothing planned.
I have a spare after lunch, so I'll read in the library.
She spent her spare catching up on homework.
UsageSay I have a spare after lunch.
Note
12
verbobsoleteintransitive
To stop doing something, or hold yourself back from it.
Similarrefrain, desist, forbear, relent, stop
Note
13
second-best personnouncountable
A person seen as extra or less important than another.
Like the extra player who sits on the bench and rarely gets to play.
He always felt like the spare, never the favorite child.
He always felt like the spare next to his famous older brother.
UsagePeople say an heir and a spare.
Note
14
very angryadjectivecolloquialUK
Very angry or upset.
Like getting so angry you could shout out loud.
Mum went spare when she saw the broken window.
He'll go spare if we turn up late again.
UsageSay Mum went spare.
Similarmad, berserk, ballistic, crazy, nuts
Note
15
bus helpernounMyanmarcountable
An extra worker who helps out on a bus or truck.
Like a helper who rides along to lend a hand.
The driver and his spare loaded the parcels onto the truck.
Each delivery truck carried a spare to handle the heavy lifting.
Similarassistant, helper, mate
Note
16
nounobsoletecountable
A slit or opening in a skirt or dress.
Similarplacket, slit
17
verbarchaic
To live carefully and not spend or use too much.
I, who at some times spend, at others spare, / Divided between carelessness and care.
1737, Alexander Pope, The Second Epistle of the Second Book of Horace
18
adjectivearchaic
Careful with money and not willing to spend much.
19
nounobsolete
Holding back, or using things carefully so that you do not waste them.
men slaine, then without any spare at all they trampled over the dead carkasses
1659, Livy, The Romane Historie

Practice

Can you tell the meanings of spare apart? Answer 3 quick questions from this page, or write your own sentence and AI will check it.

Origins

Meanings 1, 3–4, 7–11, 13–16

This comes from Old English 'spær', meaning 'sparing' or 'scant'.

Checked 1 Nov 2026 · 1 fact

Spare comes from Old English 'spær', meaning 'sparing' or 'scant'. en.wiktionary.org

Meanings 2, 5–6, 12

This comes from Old English 'sparian', meaning 'to spare or show mercy'.

Checked 1 Nov 2026 · 1 fact

The verb derives from Old English sparian, meaning 'to spare or show mercy'. en.wiktionary.org