sparring

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

But she misses the days of sparring with Democratic operative Donna Brazile when they were on opposing sides on CNN’s Washington set, and then went out for oysters and wine at Old Ebbitt Grill afterward.

From Los Angeles Times • May 10, 2026

After weeks of verbal sparring, the U.S. announced that it was sending Rubio to Rome later this week.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 5, 2026

So use it as a sparring partner, not a ghostwriter.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 27, 2026

His sparring with the president appears to be part of an aggressive strategy to amplify his own messaging as he weighs a potential run for president in 2028.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 17, 2026

That is, to replace its interweaving but independent voices with a more unified, streamlined sound, with the keyboard and cello locked together supportively, underpinning the sparring interplay of the two violins above them.

From "The Story of Music" by Howard Goodall