spared: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
B1Neutral to formal. Common in written and spoken English.
Quick answer
What does “spared” mean?
The past tense and past participle of 'spare', meaning to refrain from harming, destroying, or punishing someone or something.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
The past tense and past participle of 'spare', meaning to refrain from harming, destroying, or punishing someone or something; to allow something to remain unused or available.
Can refer to avoiding an unpleasant experience, being exempt from something negative, or having extra time/money/resources available.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant difference in core meaning. In the sense of 'having extra', 'spare' (adjective) is equally common in both (spare tyre/tire, spare room). 'Spared' as the verb form shows no orthographic or usage variation.
Connotations
Identical.
Frequency
Equal frequency in both varieties.
Grammar
How to Use “spared” in a Sentence
[Subject] spared [Indirect Object] [Direct Object] (He spared her the trouble).[Subject] was spared [Object] (The village was spared).[Subject] spared [Object] from [Negative Event] (The storm spared the city from major damage).Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “spared” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- The judge spared him a prison sentence.
- She was spared from having to attend the meeting.
- He spared a few coppers for the homeless man.
American English
- The tornado spared the downtown area.
- Can you be spared from your duties for a moment?
- She spared no effort in preparing for the exam.
adverb
British English
- N/A ('spared' is not used as an adverb).
American English
- N/A ('spared' is not used as an adverb).
adjective
British English
- N/A ('spared' is not used as an adjective).
American English
- N/A ('spared' is not used as an adjective).
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
"The company spared no expense on the new marketing campaign."
Academic
"The northern provinces were largely spared the worst effects of the plague."
Everyday
"Could you spare a few minutes to help me?"
Technical
"The backup system spared the network from a complete data loss."
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “spared”
- Incorrect: *He spared to tell her the truth. (Correct: He spared her the truth / refrained from telling her).
- Confusing 'spared' (past action) with 'spare' (adjective or base verb).
- Using 'spared' as a noun (e.g., 'a spared' is incorrect).
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Primarily yes, it relates to avoiding harm, punishment, or loss. However, in the context of having something extra ('can you spare...?'), it is neutral.
They are often synonyms. 'Spared' strongly implies an act of mercy or deliberate avoidance of harm. 'Saved' has a broader range, including rescue from immediate danger and preservation for future use.
Rarely. It typically requires an object (what was spared) or a passive construction ('He was spared'). You cannot say "He spared" alone; it needs context like "He spared the prisoner" or "He spared a moment."
The related noun is 'spare' (as in a spare tyre) or the concept of 'sparing' (the act of showing mercy). There is no direct noun '*sparedness'.
The past tense and past participle of 'spare', meaning to refrain from harming, destroying, or punishing someone or something.
Spared is usually neutral to formal. common in written and spoken english. in register.
Spared: in British English it is pronounced /speəd/, and in American English it is pronounced /sperd/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “Spared no expense (did not try to save money).”
- “To spare (extra, available).”
- “Spare the rod and spoil the child (proverb about discipline).”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of a knight with a sword raised, deciding to SPARE the defeated opponent's life. The 'ED' on the end shows it happened in the past.
Conceptual Metaphor
NEGATIVE CONSEQUENCES ARE PHYSICAL FORCES/OBJECTS (spared from the storm, spared the pain). RESOURCES ARE FINITE OBJECTS TO BE ALLOCATED (spared some time, can you spare a coin?).
Practice
Quiz
In the phrase 'spared no expense', what does 'spared' mean?