sparingly

American

[spair-ing-lee] / ˈspɛər ɪŋ li /

adverb

in an economical or limited way.

Nutritionists recommend eating fats sparingly.

Other Word Forms

oversparingly adverb

Etymology

Origin of sparingly

sparing ( def. ) + -ly

Vocabulary lists containing sparingly

George Martin (1926-2016) Tribute List

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Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

While there is a small stage, it is used sparingly.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 18, 2026

Trump is mentioned sparingly, and sometimes only in absentia.

From Slate • Feb. 25, 2026

But the narration is delivered lightly and sparingly.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 5, 2026

McDonnell said the legislation being used for the department's application had been "used sparingly" in the past.

From BBC • Feb. 5, 2026

They were all day on the long black road, stopping in the afternoon to eat sparingly from their meager supplies.

From "The Road" by Cormac McCarthy

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023