Definitions

sparring

[spahr-ing] / ˈspɑr ɪŋ /

ADJECTIVE

fighting

Synonyms

STRONG

battling belligerent boxing brawling contending determined fencing hostile jousting martial militant skirmishing tilting warmongering wrestling

WEAK

angry argumentative bellicose combative contentious disputatious disputative ferocious hawkish jingoistic militaristic pugnacious quarrelsome ready to fight resolute scrappy truculent unbeatable under arms up in arms

Antonyms

STRONG

kind nice peaceful

WEAK

peaceloving

NOUN

boxing

Synonyms

STRONG

battle mill prelim prizefighting pugilism slugfest

WEAK

glove game the ring

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.

Vietnam and China have a history of sparring over the South China Sea, or the East Sea as Vietnam calls it.

From BBC • Jun. 3, 2026

“People are now using AI as a sparring partner, rather than just the internet as a research tool.”

From MarketWatch • Jun. 2, 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

The singer thenducks beneath the sparring fists of boxers Xander Zayas and Emiliano Vargas.

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 9, 2026

She glanced around the sparring room and hid her grimace.

From "Throne of Glass" by Sarah J. Maas