1
as in sparkles
to give off sparks
the broken radio sparked and smoked the instant it was plugged in
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
2
as in triggers
to cause to function
interesting questions that are designed to spark the reader's brain
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in provokes
to rouse to strong feeling or action
President Kennedy's inspirational speeches sparked a generation of young idealists to enter the public arena
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in splashes
a very small amount
not a spark of interest in the actress's memoirs
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of sparks
Aj Willingham, AJC.com, 29 Apr. 2026
Rescue sparks debate in country Officials in the state of Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania said their strategy had focused on minimizing stress for the animal, rejecting public calls for the whale to be euthanized to end its suffering.
—Natalie Neysa Alund, USA Today, 29 Apr. 2026
Their encounter sparks a reflective journey into whether life offers second chances at happiness.
—Justin Kroll, Deadline, 28 Apr. 2026
That hasn’t been the case for Becky’s Book Club, which still sparks lively debate at every meeting.
—Maddie Connors, Los Angeles Times, 28 Apr. 2026
Special guest Lil Wayne sparks a lighter before lighting up the track with his wordplay and an iconic C-Murder reference.
—Adelle Platon, VIBE.com, 27 Apr. 2026
This can feel thrilling and unconventional — one moment sparks could fly, and the other things could change on a dime.
—Valerie Mesa, PEOPLE, 27 Apr. 2026
Don’t be surprised if the vintage-looking drinkware sparks conversations and compliments.
—Rebecca Jones, Southern Living, 21 Apr. 2026
Tankers and cargo ships are facing three-and-a-half day waits to enter the Panama Canal as the Iran war sparks a surge in traffic, prompting one vessel to plunk down an extra $4 million to jump to the front of the line.
—Ruth Liao, Bloomberg, 16 Apr. 2026
David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 28 Apr. 2026
Surveillance video shows sparks were flying as the vehicle slid into the building.
—Mark Price, Charlotte Observer, 28 Apr. 2026
That blaze was started by sparks from a welding operation.
—ABC News, 26 Apr. 2026
Started by sparks from a welding operation, that wildfire was also about 10% contained.
—Los Angeles Times, 25 Apr. 2026
Welding work can set off sparks that quickly catch in dry vegetation.
—Jeanine Santucci, USA Today, 25 Apr. 2026
If the device is forced beyond this range, such as during a power surge, the extra voltage can cause tiny sparks, heat buildup, or electrical arcing inside the circuits, which can overload and burn out your electronics, especially the more sensitive components.
—Timothy Dale, Better Homes & Gardens, 25 Apr. 2026
Skid marks formed on the road surface and smoke and sparks were produced from the rear end of the car, police said.
—Sarah Rumpf-Whitten, FOXNews.com, 24 Apr. 2026
Because the images rotate at a screen-saver pace, my advice would be to focus on the preparatory drawings and cartoons, which are like sparks thrown off some great, beautiful machine.
—Zachary Fine, New Yorker, 20 Apr. 2026
Verb
The Highway 82 Fire in Brantley County began when a foil-like party balloon hit a power line and sparks ignited surrounding vegetation, authorities say.
—Aj Willingham, AJC.com, 29 Apr. 2026
Rescue sparks debate in country Officials in the state of Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania said their strategy had focused on minimizing stress for the animal, rejecting public calls for the whale to be euthanized to end its suffering.
—Natalie Neysa Alund, USA Today, 29 Apr. 2026
Their encounter sparks a reflective journey into whether life offers second chances at happiness.
—Justin Kroll, Deadline, 28 Apr. 2026
That hasn’t been the case for Becky’s Book Club, which still sparks lively debate at every meeting.
—Maddie Connors, Los Angeles Times, 28 Apr. 2026
Special guest Lil Wayne sparks a lighter before lighting up the track with his wordplay and an iconic C-Murder reference.
—Adelle Platon, VIBE.com, 27 Apr. 2026
This can feel thrilling and unconventional — one moment sparks could fly, and the other things could change on a dime.
—Valerie Mesa, PEOPLE, 27 Apr. 2026
Don’t be surprised if the vintage-looking drinkware sparks conversations and compliments.
—Rebecca Jones, Southern Living, 21 Apr. 2026
Tankers and cargo ships are facing three-and-a-half day waits to enter the Panama Canal as the Iran war sparks a surge in traffic, prompting one vessel to plunk down an extra $4 million to jump to the front of the line.
—Ruth Liao, Bloomberg, 16 Apr. 2026
Noun
The cause of the plane’s malfunctions is, duh, random sparks from annoying Dan’s charger starting a fire in cargo.
—David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 28 Apr. 2026
Surveillance video shows sparks were flying as the vehicle slid into the building.
—Mark Price, Charlotte Observer, 28 Apr. 2026
That blaze was started by sparks from a welding operation.
—ABC News, 26 Apr. 2026
Started by sparks from a welding operation, that wildfire was also about 10% contained.
—Los Angeles Times, 25 Apr. 2026
Welding work can set off sparks that quickly catch in dry vegetation.
—Jeanine Santucci, USA Today, 25 Apr. 2026
If the device is forced beyond this range, such as during a power surge, the extra voltage can cause tiny sparks, heat buildup, or electrical arcing inside the circuits, which can overload and burn out your electronics, especially the more sensitive components.
—Timothy Dale, Better Homes & Gardens, 25 Apr. 2026
Skid marks formed on the road surface and smoke and sparks were produced from the rear end of the car, police said.
—Sarah Rumpf-Whitten, FOXNews.com, 24 Apr. 2026
Because the images rotate at a screen-saver pace, my advice would be to focus on the preparatory drawings and cartoons, which are like sparks thrown off some great, beautiful machine.
—Zachary Fine, New Yorker, 20 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for sparks
Verb
-
The lobby’s long chandelier sparkles above low-rise velvet chairs, and Frank Stella and other large-scale artworks punctuate every corner.—
Carrie Honaker,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
1 May 2026
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On the lighter end of the dark comedy spectrum, Ruthless People is an utter joy from beginning to end, a mid-80s classic that still sparkles today.—
Debby Wolfinsohn,
Entertainment Weekly,
13 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
This plateau triggers all the synapses with the eligibility trace to strengthen.—
Yasemin Saplakoglu,
Quanta Magazine,
24 Apr. 2026
-
Coal exporters like Indonesia are also ramping up their stockpiles as the Middle East conflict triggers a price surge.—
Julius Cesar Trajano,
Fortune,
24 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
But the question of what is true or not is futile, even if Calle deliberately provokes this curiosity.—
Elisa Wouk Almino
Editor,
Los Angeles Times,
2 Apr. 2026
-
The flurry of imagery provokes a surreal sort of whiplash.—
Kyle Chayka,
New Yorker,
2 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Morning is generally better than evening, because any splashes have time to dry before nightfall.—
Lauren Jarvis-Gibson,
Miami Herald,
29 Apr. 2026
-
Some splashes of color help enliven it too.—
Adam Williams
April 23,
New Atlas,
23 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Even if other tracks on BASS2 don’t quite rise to the same level, the record glows with new confidence.—
Harry Tafoya,
Pitchfork,
24 Apr. 2026
-
There’s a Mooi wallcovering where extinct animals hide within jungle fauna in one and a freestanding Aura by Antoniolupi sink that glows translucent yellow in the other.—
Sandra Barrera,
Oc Register,
24 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Once repair is complete, growth hormone activates a brainstem region called the locus coeruleus, which gently nudges you toward waking.—
Allison Palmer,
Miami Herald,
29 Apr. 2026
-
Dreaming big is par for the course when Mercury activates Jupiter.—
USA TODAY,
USA Today,
26 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
The Sustainable Ihram Initiative also complements other efforts by the fashion commission, such as the Swap Shop program, which encourages consumers to exchange unwanted clothes rather than discarding them.—
FMG Studios,
Footwear News,
1 May 2026
-
Mouth tape encourages nasal breathing and may reduce snoring.—
Samantha Agate,
Miami Herald,
1 May 2026
Noun
-
There are no easy answers in education, but there are glimmers of hope.—
Abby McCloskey,
Twin Cities,
12 Apr. 2026
-
While the storm is looming, there are new glimmers of possibility—friends can become lovers, strangers can become friends on the subway, the supermarket aisles are charged with meaning.—
Andrew Marantz,
New Yorker,
5 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Sparks.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sparks. Accessed 2 May. 2026.
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