sper
/spɛɹ/
spare is pronounced sper (/spɛɹ/). Spare (verb or adjective) denotes having extra or remaining quantity, or to refrain from harming or using something. It also appears in set phrases like spare me or spare change. In usage, it implies abundance relative to need or a request for mercy, and as an adjective can mean not currently required or left over. The core idea is distance from lack or harm, often signaling excess or mercy in context.
Spare (verb or adjective) denotes having extra or remaining quantity, or to refrain from harming or using something. It also appears in set phrases like spare me or spare change. In usage, it implies abundance relative to need or a request for mercy, and as an adjective can mean not currently required or left over. The core idea is distance from lack or harm, often signaling excess or mercy in context.
"- I kept a spare tire just in case we got a flat."
"- Do you have any spare time this afternoon?"
"- He asked for mercy and spare him from punishment."
-spare is a single stressed syllable /sper/ in US and UK, with a long “air” vowel sound ending in r-colored schwa. Phonetic pipeline: /spɛər/ in careful US transcription or /splɛə/ in some accents; most speakers merge to /spɛər/ in US, /speə/ in non-rhotic UK. Tip: start with ‘sp’ then glide into a clear /ɛə/ vowel, finishing with rhotic or non-rhotic r depending on accent. Audio examples: listen to reputable dictionaries like Cambridge or Oxford, or pronunciation apps for a quick reference.”,
Two frequent errors: pronouncing it as /spɑːr/ (too open; your mouth stays open, vowel too low) and dropping the postvocalic vowel quality by making it strictly /spɛr/ without the /ər/ coloring. Correction: aim for a mid-front lax vowel /ɛ/ followed by a rounded, lengthened /əː/ or rhotic /ɚ/ depending on accent. Ensure the tongue doesn’t collapse into /ɑ/ and keep the /r/ clear if your dialect is rhotic.
US: rhotic /spɛɚ/ or /spɛr/ with r-coloring; UK: non-rhotic /speə/ or /spɛː/ with weaker r; AU: generally rhotic in broad, /spɛə/ with slight r-coloring in many speakers. In practice, Americans maintain a clearer /ɚ/ or /ɹ/; Brits often reduce to a pure vowel diphthong /eə/; Australians tend to midpoint, closer to /eə/ with subtle rhotics. Watch for vowel height and rhotic presence affecting the final sound.
Because it hinges on a precise diphthong or vowel height (ɛ vs eə) and the presence or absence of rhotic coloring. The r-controlled variant in American English can blur the vowel into a schwa-like /ɚ/ when fast, while non-rhotic varieties reduce the /r/ entirely, turning it into a longer /eə/. The mouth position tightens around the mid-front vowel, and a subtle lip rounding helps achieve the long ‘air’ characteristic. Practicing the contrast helps distinguish dialects.
Spare ends with an /ər/ or /ə/ quality versus spear with a longer /ɪər/ or /ɪə/ we associate with /ɪə/. The consonants differ similarly: spare uses a soft r-coloring or non-rhotic end, while spear often maintains a longer, clipped “ear” vowel. The word boundary and vowel length give subtle cues about the word. Focusing on the tense vowel in spear helps avoid conflation with spare.
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- US: rhotic, with an audible r and a tense, near-closed vowel; practice /spɛɹ/ with light /ɹ/ coloring. - UK: non-rhotic, longer /eə/ or /əː/; practice /speə/ with lax final r. - AU: intermediate; often rhotic in some regions, but the vowel tends toward /eə/; practice both /spɛə/ and /speə/ depending on your subdialect. Reference IPA symbols help anchor the mouth positions for each variant.
Spare originates from Old English spareian, meaning to refrain, be cautious, or reserve. It shares roots with the Proto-Germanic spairjanan, linked to risk or danger and to the concept of withholding. The sense of “extra” or “additional” emerges from the idea of keeping something back, a reserve to prevent want. In Middle English, spare acquired the nuance of mercy (as in ‘spare my life’) and of withholding something one could give. By the 14th century, spare also described an unused remainder or surplus, especially in terms of supplies or time (a spare hour). Through centuries, the word broadened into idioms such as spare parts, spare change, or spare no expense, maintaining the core idea of extra or withheld action. The evolution reflects shifting social needs—mercy, reserve, and excess—while preserving a semantic center of avoidance of waste, harm, or shortage. First known uses appear in legal and biblical translations where mercy and withholding are central, with later common usage in everyday objects and time management. Today, spare remains a flexible term across both noun/adjective and verb functions, frequently paired with defense of resources, convenience, and mercy.
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Help others use "spare" correctly by contributing grammar tips, common mistakes, and context guidance.
💡 These words have similar meanings to "spare" and can often be used interchangeably.
🔄 These words have opposite meanings to "spare" and show contrast in usage.
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Words that rhyme with "spare"
-are sounds
Practice with these rhyming pairs to improve your pronunciation consistency:
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