Spare
Adjective: extra or supplementary; as a verb, to refrain from harming or to give (spare a minute); as a noun, a spare item kept in reserve.
adjectiveSpare
Adjective: extra or supplementary; as a verb, to refrain from harming or to give (spare a minute); as a noun, a spare item kept in reserve.
adjectiveImagine This
Imagine a toolbox with a drawer labeled Spare that holds extra screws and a spare tire in the trunk of a car; you also set aside a small amount of spare time in your day just in case something unexpected comes up.
Sounds Like
/spɛər/ (sounds like 'spair'; rhymes with care)
Looks Like
Looks like sparse (similar letters, different meaning)
Remember This
Spare often means keeping something in reserve or extra. Common phrases include spare time, spare parts, and spare no expense. Beware the common confusion with sparse, which means thinly dispersed.
Other Forms
Connect With
reserve, extra, backup, surplus, hold, spare parts
Note
Use spare before a noun to mean 'extra' (spare tire, spare key). The verb sense means to refrain from harming or to give something (spare a minute, spare someone's feelings). In fixed phrases, 'spare no expense' means to spend generously without limiting cost.