sparking

verb

present participle of spark
1
as in sparkling
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 triggering
to cause to function interesting questions that are designed to spark the reader's brain

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in provoking
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

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 sparking The unrest comes on the eve of Art Basel Paris this week, sparking concerns about the impact this may have on the fair and a packed week of art events throughout the city. — Devorah Lauter, ARTnews.com, 19 Oct. 2026 By the turn of the millennium, tastemakers like David Beckham, Jay-Z, and Beyoncé were flaunting Evisu, sparking a wave of interest in Japanese brands that continues to the present day. — Matt Alt, Fortune, 18 Oct. 2026 Trump has waived sanctions on imports of Russian diesel and on Friday invoked a waiver exempting Russia from sweeping economic penalties mandated by the US Congress, sparking criticism even from Republicans. — Tim Lister, CNN Money, 18 Oct. 2026 With the Guardians slated to use Armstrong in the rescheduled Game 4 on Saturday night, the Rays are likely to employ the same strategy in hopes of sparking an early rally. — Marc Topkin, The Orlando Sentinel, 17 Oct. 2026 With night set to fall, many in the area were without power due to outages planned by Southern California Edison in hopes of preventing power lines downed by the winds from sparking fires. — Tom Tapp, Deadline, 16 Oct. 2026 But this campaign of attacks deep inside enemy territory has given Ukraine crucial leverage, sparking a major fuel crisis inside Russia. — Yuliya Talmazan, NBC news, 16 Oct. 2026 Across the state, around 190,000 customers were under threat of public safety power shutoffs as of Thursday as utilities work to prevent sparking fires after wind damage to power lines. — Sean MacAday, Sacbee.com, 16 Oct. 2026 Europe’s big task now is helping commercial vessels operate in the Black Sea without sparking a major clash with Russian President Vladimir Putin. — The Monitor's Editorial Board, Christian Science Monitor, 16 Oct. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for sparking
  1. sparkling
  2. triggering
  3. provoking
  4. glowing
  5. activating
  6. encouraging
  7. driving
  8. stimulating
Verb
  • The conglomerate has seen a particularly high demand for sparkling pieces as of late, with the sector paving the way for a 20 percent increase in the company’s Q1 sales this year compared to 2025.
    — Nicole Hoey, Robb Report, 16 Oct. 2026
  • Her fashion choices are just as much a part of the package, with a wardrobe of sparkling, barely-there separates and statement boots complementing her signature bright pink hair.
    — Alicia Urrea, Billboard, 10 Oct. 2026
Definition of sparkling
Verb
  • Pandemic closures slashed membership by 55%, triggering a $40 million revenue collapse in 2020 that forced leadership to freeze hiring, defer capital projects, draw on reserves and adjust lender terms.
    — Chase Jordan October 14, Charlotte Observer, 14 Oct. 2026
  • The store owner was in Israel at the time, triggering a yearslong extradition process.
    — Monika Evstatieva, NPR, 14 Oct. 2026
Definition of triggering
Verb
  • The same principle applies to debates about religion, economics and virtually any subject capable of provoking strong emotions.
    — Rabbi Bruce D. Forman, Sun Sentinel, 13 Oct. 2026
  • From this format emerges the tacit thesis that the Bicentennial cultural activities excelled at provoking critical, imaginative reflections on America’s past and future from artmakers and from ordinary citizens alike.
    — Anna Kornbluh, ARTnews.com, 7 Oct. 2026
Definition of provoking
Verb
  • For the best views look 40-90 degrees away from the radiant, where the glowing trains left in the wake of the fast-moving meteors will be at their longest.
    — Anthony Wood, Space.com, 17 Oct. 2026
  • But the phone’s first public testers have given glowing feedback.
    — Andrew R. Chow, Time, 15 Oct. 2026
Definition of glowing
Verb
  • Semaglutide mimics its activity by activating GLP-1 receptors in the body.
    — Miami Herald, Miami Herald, 15 Oct. 2026
  • The protease partially pulls a proton off the water molecule, activating it to attack and break up the peptide bond.
    — ArsTechnica, ArsTechnica, 14 Oct. 2026
Definition of activating
Verb
  • Anti-Trumpers in Wichita are encouraging folks to attend the next No Kings Nationwide Day of Action on Saturday as a sort of rally warm-up.
    — Lisa Gutierrez, Kansas City Star, 16 Oct. 2026
  • But in his statement Hannan argued labor and environmentalists aren’t stopping development, just encouraging it be done safely.
    — Andrew Graham, Sacbee.com, 16 Oct. 2026
Definition of encouraging
Verb
  • Biggs has accused the Hobbs administration of driving up home prices with stringent water requirements that stalled new buildings in parts of the Phoenix area.
    — Hannah Knowles The Washington Post, Arkansas Online, 19 Oct. 2026
  • No amount of spending from whatever PAC source is driving it into the elections are going to change that dynamic.
    — NBC news, NBC news, 18 Oct. 2026
Definition of driving
Verb
  • The team also gave the muscle a workout, stimulating it with light for 15 minutes a day at two pulses per second.
    — New Atlas, New Atlas, 3 Oct. 2026
  • Head spas are credited with cleansing the scalp, stimulating blood flow, strengthening hair follicles and lowering stress and anxiety.
    — Hanna Wickes, Sacbee.com, 1 Oct. 2026
Definition of stimulating

Browse Nearby Words

sparkily
sparking
sparkle
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Cite this Entry

“Sparking.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sparking. Accessed 20 Oct. 2026.

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