1
a
: a small particle of a burning substance thrown out by a body in combustion or remaining when combustion is nearly completed
b
: a hot glowing particle struck from a larger mass
especially
: one heated by friction
2
a
: a luminous disruptive electrical discharge of very short duration between two conductors separated by a gas (such as air)
b
: the discharge in a spark plug
c
: the mechanism controlling the discharge in a spark plug
4
: something that sets off a sudden force
provided the spark that helped the team to rally
5
: a latent particle capable of growth or developing : germ
still retains a spark of decency
6
sparks plural in form but singular in construction
: a radio operator on a ship
sparked; sparking; sparks
1
a
: to throw out sparks
b
: to flash or fall like sparks
2
: to produce sparks
specifically
: to have the electric ignition working
3
: to respond with enthusiasm
Synonyms
Examples of spark in a Sentence
Noun (1)
not a spark of interest in the actress's memoirs
Verb (1)
the broken radio sparked and smoked the instant it was plugged in
interesting questions that are designed to spark the reader's brain
President Kennedy's inspirational speeches sparked a generation of young idealists to enter the public arena
Recent Examples on the Web
Evan Webeck, The Mercury News, 2 Aug. 2024
Willems discusses how kids can use their imagination to understand their place.
4:14
ABCNews.com
Award-winning author and illustrator Mo Willems' creative spark elevated him to the big time among children's book creators, but his latest work takes us into teeny-weeny territory.
—Abc News, ABC News, 2 Aug. 2024
Shivani Vyas, Better Homes & Gardens, 6 Aug. 2024
The overnight rebound came after all three major indexes suffered a major sell-off on Monday, sparked by fears that the US economy is slowing faster than expected.
—Alexandra Banner, CNN, 6 Aug. 2024
See all Example Sentences for spark 
Noun
But the 35-year-old San Jose native wasn’t the only new face in the visitors’ clubhouse as the club overhauled its lineup in search of a spark after mounting just three runs on nine hits while splitting their two-game series against the A’s to close their homestand.
—Evan Webeck, The Mercury News, 2 Aug. 2024
Willems discusses how kids can use their imagination to understand their place.
4:14
ABCNews.com
Award-winning author and illustrator Mo Willems' creative spark elevated him to the big time among children's book creators, but his latest work takes us into teeny-weeny territory.
—Abc News, ABC News, 2 Aug. 2024
Verb
Lint clogged in your lint trap or ductwork can cause hot air from your dryer to spark a flame.
—Shivani Vyas, Better Homes & Gardens, 6 Aug. 2024
The overnight rebound came after all three major indexes suffered a major sell-off on Monday, sparked by fears that the US economy is slowing faster than expected.
—Alexandra Banner, CNN, 6 Aug. 2024
See all Example Sentences for spark
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'spark.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near spark
Cite this Entry
“Spark.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/spark. Accessed 19 Aug. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
spark
1 of 3 noun1
a
: a small bit of a burning material
b
: a hot glowing bit struck from a mass
2
: a short bright flash of electricity between two points
4
: a small amount that could grow into something larger
still has a spark of decency
spark
2 of 3 verb1
: to give off or cause to give off sparks
2
: to cause to get going
the question sparked quite an argument
sparked the team to victory
Etymology
Noun
Old English spearca "spark"
Verb
from earlier spark (noun) "a foolish young man, boyfriend"
Biographical Definition
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Merriam-Webster unabridged
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