1
as in to sparkle
to give off sparks
the broken radio sparked and smoked the instant it was plugged in
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2
as in to trigger
to cause to function
interesting questions that are designed to spark the reader's brain
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3
as in to provoke
to rouse to strong feeling or action
President Kennedy's inspirational speeches sparked a generation of young idealists to enter the public arena
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as in glimmer
a very small amount
not a spark of interest in the actress's memoirs
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of spark
Nicole Acevedo, NBC news, 10 Jan. 2026
Your resting periods are essential to prevent mistakes and spark better solutions for everyone involved.
—Tarot.com, Baltimore Sun, 10 Jan. 2026
Jason Beede, The Orlando Sentinel, 7 Jan. 2026
The players-only meeting was one of two major sparks for Washington.
—Josh Robbins, New York Times, 7 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for spark
Verb
For some residents, Good’s killing reopened deep wounds in a city still reckoning with the police murder of George Floyd, which occurred just blocks away in May 2020 and sparked nationwide protests against police brutality.
—Noun
That was until Mosley shifted to a younger group on the floor, which included Jase Richardson (20 points), Jett Howard (10) and Noah Penda (10), in search of a spark in the second half.
—Recent Examples of Synonyms for spark
Verb
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The sunshine sparkles upon the ripples of the gently moving water, which is clear and colored like tea by natural plant tannins.—
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Per its Sotheby's auction listing, scrolls of diamonds are interrupted by sparkling floral motifs, while a romantic heart emblem sits at the center.—
Verb
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She was released and showed back up over an hour later, triggering another scuffle.—
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Routine recommendations trigger automatic prompts in medical records and enable nurses to vaccinate under standing orders.—
Verb
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Analysts and insiders told CBS News the scale of the response to Pahalvi's call could determine whether the deadly, 12-day-old protests fizzle out as previous rounds of unrest have, or grow into a major challenge to the government, and provoke a possible wider crackdown.—
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Intrusive thoughts provoke an anxious spiral as the moon and Saturn oppose.—
Noun
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That’s when Niue’s glimmer of a tourist season, which coincides with winter in the Southern Hemisphere, springs into high gear.—
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The good news, however, is that the agreement offers a glimmer of hope for users who want TikTok to stay for good.—
Verb
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But at no time was her skin not glowing through.—
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That's when the stars will really be glowing.—
Verb
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During inquiries, the ICO found 178 active email accounts using passwords identical or similar to those set by the organization’s IT desk when the account was activated.—
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In cases of near-zero visibility due to dense fog, activate your hazard lights and seek a safe spot, like a nearby business parking lot, to pull over and stop.—
Verb
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The teeth also captured climate shifts such as the Late Antique Little Ice Age and the Medieval Climate Anomaly, which might have encouraged some increase in migration into England.—
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Those who experienced the earthquake are encouraged to report it via the USGS Felt Report form.—
Noun
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Atlas is also built to withstand harsh conditions, operating reliably in temperatures from -4°F to 104°F, and is waterproofed to protect it from splashes on factory floors.—
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The first round of the International Tennis Federation’s W35 tournament, played on a clay court in Nairobi, Kenya, wouldn’t normally make much of a splash in the tennis world, but millions of people have now seen what transpired over 37 excruciating minutes in the capital.—
Cite this Entry
“Spark.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/spark. Accessed 12 Jan. 2026.
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