sparely

Meanings

1. 1adverbnot comparable

   In a plain, simple way, using only what is needed with little decoration or excess.

   Grammar: Usually before a past participle: sparely furnished, sparely written.

   Patterns

   • sparely furnished
   • sparely written

   The studio was sparely furnished, with a single table and two chairs.

   She writes sparely, never wasting a word.

   The room was sparely decorated and very calm.

2. 2adverbnot comparable

   In small amounts, or only a little, especially when talking about food, words or resources.

   Grammar: After a verb of using or eating: he ate sparely.

   Patterns

   • eat sparely
   • use something sparely

   He eats sparely at dinner to keep to his diet.

   Use the spice sparely, as it is very strong.

   She spoke sparely in meetings and was often listened to.

Common combinations

sparely furnished

The cottage was sparely furnished but warm.

sparely decorated

A sparely decorated lobby gave the hotel an air of calm.

live sparely

The monks live sparely.

write sparely

Hemingway is known for writing sparely.

use sparely

Use garlic sparely in this dish.

Synonyms and how they differ

simply

Simply is more everyday and can describe any plain style, while sparely implies deliberate removal of everything unnecessary.

austerely

Austerely sounds stricter and colder, suggesting hardship or severe discipline.

sparingly

Sparingly is the common word for using small amounts, while sparely is more often about plain style.

minimally

Minimally is more technical and implies the smallest amount possible.

Opposites

Word family

spare adjective

plain, lean and without waste

spareness noun

the quality of being plain or thin

sparing adjective

careful with how much is used

sparingly adverb

in small amounts

Commonly confused: sparely or sparingly?

Practice

Make it your own

Write a sentence using “sparely”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.

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