sparked

verb

past tense of spark
1
as in sparkled
to give off sparks the broken radio sparked and smoked the instant it was plugged in

Synonyms & Similar Words

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2
as in triggered
to cause to function interesting questions that are designed to spark the reader's brain

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in provoked
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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of sparked Two lakes that subsequently formed beside the site of catastrophic landslides sparked fears of fresh flooding and prompted both China and Nepal to briefly pause rescue efforts. — Sophie Tanno, CNN Money, 29 Aug. 2026 Tymur Tkachenko, head of the local regional military administration, said that at least 50 residential buildings had been damaged in the attack, which also sparked a large-scale fire that spread to homes and a restaurant. — ABC News, 29 Aug. 2026 Her appearance in the audience immediately sparked questions. — Sandra McDonald, Los Angeles Times, 29 Aug. 2026 The investigation was sparked after the West Side safety net hospital came under fire for improperly doling out COVID-19 vaccinations soon after the shots became available. — Jason Meisner, Chicago Tribune, 28 Aug. 2026 Footage of the mass of migrants storming the territory of just 84,000 people sparked a national crisis, and Madrid’s socialist government has struggled to contain it. — Brady Knox, The Washington Examiner, 28 Aug. 2026 The sharp rise in global oil prices sparked by the Iran war has had an uneven impact in Francophone West Africa, with some countries’ fuel prices double the level of their neighbors. — Paige Bruton, semafor.com, 28 Aug. 2026 The decision sparked widespread backlash from fans, filmmakers and the film’s stars, who continued to publicly advocate for the movie’s release. — Lexi Carson, HollywoodReporter, 28 Aug. 2026 My decision to quit drinking wasn’t sparked by something going wrong. — Ryan Brennan, Sacbee.com, 27 Aug. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for sparked
  1. sparkled
  2. triggered
  3. provoked
  4. glowed
  5. activated
  6. encouraged
  7. flashed
  8. drove
Verb
  • Drzewiecki sparkled for New Mexico during his senior season, making 36 of 36 extra points and 18 of 19 field goals.
    — CBS News, CBS News, 25 Aug. 2026
  • In photos, Swift could be seen opening the door to the club as her engagement ring caught the light and sparkled in all its 10-carat glory.
    — Meg Walters, InStyle, 14 Aug. 2026
Definition of sparkled
Verb
  • While spoken language might benefit us in myriad ways, no single activity requires it, let alone explains what triggered its ongoing evolution over tens to hundreds of thousands of years.
    — Mike McRae September 02, New Atlas, 3 Sep. 2026
  • His remarks triggered fierce criticism and prompted Berlin artistic director Tricia Tuttle to publicly defend artists’ right to decide whether or not to speak on political issues.
    — Elsa Keslassy, Variety, 2 Sep. 2026
Definition of triggered
Verb
  • The comment at a rally last Sunday titillated, provoked and enraged different audiences simultaneously, all but guaranteeing saturation news coverage and even more attention.
    — Brian Stelter, CNN Money, 19 Aug. 2026
  • The incidents had provoked international scrutiny of the country’s assault on Gaza.
    — Brendan Ruberry, semafor.com, 19 Aug. 2026
Definition of provoked
Verb
  • Inspired by an art show that was itself inspired by the iconic Beverly Hills Hotel, the club featured palm trees, polka-dot banquettes, murals of the hotel and pool, and a NO VACANCY sign outside that glowed perpetually into the night.
    — Derek C. Blasberg, Vanity Fair, 28 Aug. 2026
  • Scientists began describing minerals that glowed in the dark as phosphors in the Middle Ages.
    — ArsTechnica, ArsTechnica, 25 Aug. 2026
Definition of glowed
Verb
  • When that temperature surpassed 86 degrees, the roofs would be activated and players would be granted a ten-minute stoppage.
    — Aaron Short, Curbed, 3 Sep. 2026
  • Guided Vision will be available in the system Accessibility shortcuts and can also be activated from the TalkBack menu.
    — Ryan Whitwam, ArsTechnica, 1 Sep. 2026
Definition of activated
Verb
  • When government applies the rules consistently, businesses have the confidence to invest, innovation is encouraged, public institutions earn greater trust and the public benefits.
    — Robin Rossenfeld, Denver Post, 28 Aug. 2026
  • Anyone with information on the collision is encouraged to contact Officer Giovanni Zaino of the Middletown Police Patrol Division at 860-638-4000, ext 6323.
    — Staff Report, Hartford Courant, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of encouraged
Verb
  • Jarrett is healthy, van den Berg has been the story of camp, newcomers Street and Gallimore have flashed at times, and Dexter is entering a contract year.
    — Dan Wiederer, New York Times, 30 Aug. 2026
  • Keelan Marion, who flashed at times this training camp, is unlikely to be brought back — the Falcons have more receivers above him on their roster.
    — Daniel Flick, AJC.com, 30 Aug. 2026
Definition of flashed
Verb
  • The Middle East war and the resulting shipping disruption through the Strait of Hormuz drove up global commodity costs, further squeezing Beijing's own appetite for commodity imports.
    — Anniek Bao, CNBC, 3 Sep. 2026
  • Matson testified that Paul Robinson visited to the fraternity house two days after his son posted bail, then drove with Matson to retrieve the safe while his son packed at the fraternity house.
    — Finch Walker, USA Today, 3 Sep. 2026
Definition of drove

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sparker
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Cite this Entry

“Sparked.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sparked. Accessed 5 Sep. 2026.

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