spared

[ spaird ]

adjective

1. left intact; not damaged, punished, destroyed, killed, etc.:

   After a seven-month siege they captured the city, and the spared captives were taken into exile.

   After a brain injury in early childhood, language function is typically transferred to the spared hemisphere.

2. dispensed with or done without:

   I finally obtained a little ready money by converting some easily spared articles of jewelry into cash.

3. used frugally or not used; withheld; not spent:

   At no spared effort or expense, the enhanced design protocol has been applied to all the products in our new lineup.

verb

1. the simple past tense and past participle of spare.

Other Words From

• un·spared adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of spared¹

First recorded in 1575–85; spare ( def ) + -ed ²( def ) for the adjective senses; spare ( def ) + -ed ¹( def ) for the verb sense

Example Sentences

Some may be under the mistaken impression that if they curry favor now, maybe they will be spared retribution under a Trump presidency.

From Salon

Some abandoned vehicles that look pretty much intact, apart from a dented bonnet here or a flat tyre there, are not spared either.

From BBC

He has also played into the prophecy fervor: During his victory speech last week, Trump referred to the assassination attempt on his life in July: “And I said that many people have told me that God spared my life for a reason. And that reason was to save our country and to restore America to greatness.”

From Slate

Sheeran spared McKenna's blushes by leaving his guitar at home though.

From BBC

In that France game, played in an empty stadium during the Covid pandemic, Ireland were at least spared the ignominy of defeat in front of their own fans.

From BBC

Related Words

• immune