spark

Meanings

1. 1nouncountable

   A tiny hot piece that jumps from fire, metal, or a wire and may glow briefly.

   Grammar: Countable; often plural in descriptions of fire or grinding metal.

   Patterns

   • a spark from something
   • sparks fly
   • a shower of sparks

   A spark from the campfire landed on my sleeve.

   Sparks flew when the metal blade touched the stone.

2. 2nouncountablephysicstechnical

   A small flash of electricity, or the flash produced between two contacts.

   Grammar: Common in physics and household contexts; can be singular or plural.

   Patterns

   • an electrical spark
   • a spark jumps
   • cause a spark

   A spark jumped across the old plug.

   Static can make a spark when you touch a car door.

3. 3nouncountablefigurative

   A small beginning sign of a feeling, quality, idea, or problem.

   Grammar: Often with “of”: a spark of interest; usually singular.

   Patterns

   • a spark of something
   • the spark of an idea
   • without a spark of something

   The lecture lit a spark of curiosity in the class.

   There wasn’t a spark of evidence for the rumor.

4. 4verbtransitive

   To cause an event, feeling, argument, or process to start suddenly.

   Grammar: Takes an object: spark interest, spark protests; more active than “lead to.”

   Patterns

   • spark something
   • spark debate
   • spark interest in something
   • spark someone to do something

   The new policy sparked protests across the city.

   Her question sparked a lively debate in the seminar.

Word forms

Common combinations

spark interest

The museum exhibit sparked interest in local history.

spark a debate

The editorial sparked a debate about privacy.

sparks fly

Sparks flew when the two engineers disagreed.

a spark of hope

The rescue brought a spark of hope to the village.

Synonyms and how they differ

ignite

“Ignite” can be literal fire or strong figurative beginnings; “spark” often suggests a small trigger.

trigger

“Trigger” starts a chain reaction, sometimes negative; “spark” can begin feelings, ideas, or events.

prompt

“Prompt” causes someone to speak or act; “spark” more often starts public reactions or interest.

kindle

“Kindle” is literary for slowly awakening feelings; “spark” suggests a quicker flash.

Opposites

Word family

sparkle verb

To shine with many small flashes; related by image but different from “spark.”

sparking plug noun

British term for a spark plug, a device that makes an electric spark in an engine.

sparky adjective

Informal: lively, energetic, or quick to react.

Commonly confused: spark or sparc? spark or sparkle?

Practice

Make it your own

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

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