Free vs. Spare — What's the Difference?
Edited by Tayyaba Rehman — By Maham Liaqat — Updated on May 4, 2024
Free often denotes something that is available without any cost or obligation, while spare refers to something extra or available for use when needed.
Difference Between Free and Spare
Table of Contents
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Key Differences
Free typically implies that something is provided without the need to pay or fulfill conditions, such as free samples at a store or free admission to an event. Whereas spare suggests an excess or redundancy, like spare parts for a machine or a spare tire in a vehicle, emphasizing readiness for replacement or emergency use.
Free can also mean being devoid of or unrestricted by something, such as free time without any engagements or obligations. On the other hand, spare often relates specifically to items kept on hand as a precaution or for future necessity, such as spare keys or spare batteries.
When something is free, it is often intended to attract participation or promote generosity, like free software or free counseling services. Spare, however, implies careful planning and foresight, ensuring that there are additional resources like spare room in a suitcase or spare capacity in a budget.
Free resources or services are frequently used as promotional tools or benefits intended to provide relief or aid without financial burden, such as free healthcare in some countries. Conversely, spare items are not usually meant for regular use but are held back or saved for specific circumstances, such as spare glasses or a spare charger.
In terms of availability, when we say something is free, it is readily accessible and often unlimited, like free access to library resources. In contrast, spare items are typically controlled and stored away until they are needed, reflecting a strategic reserve, like spare linen for guests.
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Comparison Chart
Definition
Without cost or payment
Extra, reserved for future use
Usage
Promotion, access, freedom
Preparedness, backup
Typical Context
Services, information, entry
Parts, equipment, supplies
Connotation
Generosity, unrestricted
Caution, foresight
Example
Free Wi-Fi in public spaces
Spare tire in a car
Compare with Definitions
Free
Unrestricted in use or access.
She offered free use of her books.
Spare
Give or afford to.
Can you spare some time to help me?
Free
Not under the control or in the power of another.
He was happy to be free from his obligations for the weekend.
Spare
Additional to what is required for ordinary use.
They kept a spare key under the mat.
Free
Without cost or payment.
They gave out samples free of charge.
Spare
Not currently in use; available.
We have a spare room if you need to stay overnight.
Free
Not costing or charging anything.
Admission to the museum is free on Sundays.
Spare
Refrain from harming or destroying.
The builder spared the old tree during renovations.
Free
Release from captivity or restraint.
The animal was freed from the trap.
Spare
Kept in reserve, especially for emergency use.
He always had a spare tire in his trunk.
Free
Able to act or be done as one wishes; not under the control of another
I have no ambitions other than to have a happy life and be free
A free choice
Spare
To refrain from harming, injuring, destroying, or killing
The general spared the city from a bombardment.
Free
Not or no longer confined or imprisoned
Police were forced to let him walk free
The researchers set the birds free
Spare
To leave undamaged or unharmed
The oldest trees in the forest were spared from the fire.
Free
Not subject to engagements or obligations
She spent her free time shopping
Spare
To refrain from denouncing or distressing; treat leniently or with consideration
The teacher spared the student's feelings by not criticizing her.
Free
Not subject to or affected by (something undesirable)
Our salsas are free of preservatives
Spare
To allow (someone) to avoid experiencing or doing (something)
Spared myself the trouble of going to the store.
Free
Given or available without charge
Free health care
Spare
To hold back from; withhold or avoid
Spared no expense for the celebration.
Free
Using or expending something without restraint; lavish
She was always free with her money
Spare
To use or supply with restraint
Don't spare the mustard.
Free
(of literature or music) not observing the normal conventions of style or form.
Spare
To give or grant out of one's resources; afford
Can you spare ten minutes?.
Free
(of the wind) blowing from a favourable direction to the side or aft of a vessel.
Spare
Kept in reserve
Spare parts.
Free
Without cost or payment
Ladies were admitted free
Spare
Being in excess of what is needed; extra
Spare cash.
Free
With the sheets eased
I kept her off the wind and sailing free until I had all square forward
Spare
Free for other use; unoccupied
Spare time.
Free
Release from confinement or slavery
They were freed from jail
Spare
Not lavish, abundant, or excessive; meager
A spare breakfast.
Free
Remove something undesirable or restrictive from
His inheritance freed him from financial constraints
Free your body of excess tension
Spare
Lean and trim
A runner with a spare figure.
Free
Make available for a particular purpose
We are freeing management time for alternative work
Spare
Not elaborate or ornate; simple
A writer's spare style.
Free
Not imprisoned or confined
Walked out of prison a free man.
Set the birds free.
Spare
A replacement, especially a tire, reserved for future need.
Free
Not controlled by obligation or the will of another
Felt free to go.
Spare
The act of knocking down all ten pins with two successive rolls of a bowling ball.
Free
Not controlled by another country or political power; independent
A free nation.
Spare
The score so made.
Free
Governed by consent and possessing or granting civil liberties
A free citizenry.
Spare
Scant; not abundant or plentiful.
A spare diet
Free
Not subject to arbitrary interference by a government
A free press.
Spare
Sparing; frugal; parsimonious; not spending much money.
Free
Not enslaved.
Spare
Being more than what is necessary, or what must be used or reserved; not wanted, or not used; superfluous.
I have no spare time.
Free
Not affected or restricted by a given condition or circumstance
A healthy animal, free of disease.
People free from need.
Spare
Held in reserve, to be used in an emergency.
A spare anchor; a spare wheel or tyre
Free
Not subject to a given condition; exempt
Income that is free of all taxes.
Spare
Not occupied or in current use.
We could rent out the spare room.
Free
Not bound by convention or the rules of form
A free artistic style.
Spare
Lean; lacking flesh; meager; thin; gaunt.
Free
Not literal or exact
A free translation.
Spare
Very angry; frustrated or distraught.
When he found out that someone had broken the window, he went spare.
The poor girl is going spare, stuck in the house all day with the kids like that.
Free
Costing nothing; gratuitous
A free meal.
Spare
The act of sparing; moderation; restraint.
Free
Publicly supported
Free education.
Spare
Parsimony; frugal use.
Free
Unobstructed; clear
A free lane on the highway.
Spare
An opening in a petticoat or gown; a placket.
Free
Not occupied or used
A free locker.
Free energy.
Spare
That which has not been used or expended.
Free
Not taken up by scheduled activities
Free time between classes.
Spare
A spare part, especially a spare tire.
Free
Immoderate in giving or spending; liberal or lavish
Tourists who are free with their money.
Spare
A superfluous or second-best person.
Free
Frank or unguarded in expression or manner; open or outspoken
She is very free with her opinions.
Spare
(bowling) The right of bowling again at a full set of pins, after having knocked all the pins down in less than three bowls. If all the pins are knocked down in one bowl it is a double spare; in two bowls, a single spare.
Free
Given, made, or done of one's own accord; voluntary or spontaneous
A free act of the will.
Free choices.
Spare
(bowling) The act of knocking down all remaining pins in second ball of a frame; this entitles the pins knocked down on the next ball to be added to the score for that frame.
Free
Unconstrained; unconfined
Free expansion.
Spare
(Canada) A free period; a block of school during which one does not have a class.
Free
Not fixed in position; capable of relatively unrestricted motion
A free electron.
Spare
(Myanmar) assistant or extra hand typically on buses and lorries
Free
Not chemically bound in a molecule
Free oxygen.
Spare
To show mercy.
Free
Involving no collisions or interactions
A free path.
Spare
(intransitive) To desist; to stop; to refrain.
Free
Empty or unoccupied
A free space.
An atom with a free energy level.
Spare
(intransitive) To refrain from inflicting harm; to use mercy or forbearance.
Free
(Nautical) Favorable
A free wind.
Spare
(transitive) To preserve (someone) from danger or punishment; to forbear to punish, injure, or harm (someone); to show mercy towards.
Free
Not bound, fastened, or attached
The free end of a chain.
Spare
To keep.
Free
Being a form, especially a morpheme, that can stand as an independent word, such as boat or bring.
Spare
(intransitive) To be frugal; to not be profuse; to live frugally; to be parsimonious.
Free
Being a vowel in an open syllable, as the o in go.
Spare
(transitive) To keep to oneself; to forbear to impart or give.
Free
In a free manner; without restraint.
Spare
(transitive) To save or gain, as by frugality; to reserve, as from some occupation, use, or duty.
Free
Without charge.
Spare
(transitive) to give up To deprive oneself of, as by being frugal; to do without; to dispense with; to give up; to part with.
Free
To make free, as from confinement or oppression
Freed the slaves.
Spare
To use frugally or stintingly, as that which is scarce or valuable; to retain or keep unused; to save.
[Thou] thy Father's dreadful thunder didst not spare.
He that hath knowledge, spareth his words.
Free
To relieve of a burden, obligation, or restraint
A people who were at last freed from fear.
Spare
To keep to one's self; to forbear to impart or give.
Be pleased your plitics to spare.
Spare my sight the painOf seeing what a world of tears it costs you.
Free
To remove obstructions or entanglements from; clear
Free a path through the jungle.
Spare
To preserve from danger or punishment; to forbear to punish, injure, or harm; to show mercy to.
Spare us, good Lord.
Dim sadness did not spareThat time celestial visages.
Man alone can whom he conquers spare.
Free
To make available
Canceling the program freed up money for the new library.
Spare
To save or gain, as by frugality; to reserve, as from some occupation, use, or duty.
All the time he could spare from the necessary cares of his weighty charge, he estowed on . . . serving of God.
Free
Freestyle.
Spare
To deprive one's self of, as by being frugal; to do without; to dispense with; to give up; to part with.
Where angry Jove did never spareOne breath of kind and temperate air.
I could have better spared a better man.
Her thought that a lady should her spare.
Free
(social) Unconstrained.
He was given free rein to do whatever he wanted.
Spare
To be frugal; not to be profuse; to live frugally; to be parsimonious.
I, who at some times spend, at others spare,Divided between carelessness and care.
Free
Not imprisoned or enslaved.
A free man
Spare
To refrain from inflicting harm; to use mercy or forbearance.
He will not spare in the day of vengeance.
Free
Unconstrained by timidity or distrust
Spare
To desist; to stop; to refrain.
Free
Generous; liberal.
He's very free with his money.
Spare
Scanty; not abundant or plentiful; as, a spare diet.
Free
(obsolete) Clear of offence or crime; guiltless; innocent.
Spare
Sparing; frugal; parsimonious; chary.
He was spare, but discreet of speech.
Free
Without obligations.
Free time
Spare
Being over and above what is necessary, or what must be used or reserved; not wanted, or not used; superfluous; as, I have no spare time.
If that no spare clothes he had to give.
Free
Thrown open, or made accessible, to all; to be enjoyed without limitations; unrestricted; not obstructed, engrossed, or appropriated; open; said of a thing to be possessed or enjoyed.
A free school
Spare
Held in reserve, to be used in an emergency; as, a spare anchor; a spare bed or room.
Free
Not arbitrary or despotic; assuring liberty; defending individual rights against encroachment by any person or class; instituted by a free people; said of a government, institutions, etc.
This is a free country.
Spare
Lean; wanting flesh; meager; thin; gaunt.
O, give me the spare men, and spare me the great ones.
Free
(software) With no or only freedom-preserving limitations on distribution or modification.
OpenOffice is free software.
Spare
Slow.
Free
(software) Intended for release, as opposed to a checked version.
Spare
The act of sparing; moderation; restraint.
Killing for sacrifice, without any spare.
Free
Obtainable without any payment.
The government provides free health care.
It's free real estate.
Spare
Parsimony; frugal use.
Poured out their plenty without spite or spare.
Free
Complimentary
Buy a TV to get a free DVD player!
Spare
An opening in a petticoat or gown; a placket.
Free
(abstract) Unconstrained.
Spare
That which has not been used or expended.
Free
(mathematics) Unconstrained by relators.
The free group on three generators
Spare
The right of bowling again at a full set of pins, after having knocked all the pins down in less than three bowls. If all the pins are knocked down in one bowl it is a double spare; in two bowls, a single spare. For the meaning in modern bowling, see sense 6.
Free
Unconstrained by quantifiers.
is the free variable in .
Spare
The act of knocking down all ten pins in two bowls, which entitles the bowler to add the number of pins knocked down in the next bowl to the score for the frame in which the spare occurred.
Free
(programming) Unconstrained of identifiers, not bound.
Spare
An extra component of a machine or other apparatus
Free
(linguistics) of a morpheme That can be used by itself, unattached to another morpheme.
Spare
An extra car wheel and tire for a four-wheel vehicle
Free
(physical) Unconstrained.
Spare
A score in tenpins; knocking down all ten after rolling two balls
Free
Unobstructed, without blockages.
The drain was free
Spare
Refrain from harming
Free
Unattached or uncombined.
A free radical
Spare
Save or relieve from an experience or action;
I'll spare you from having to apologize formally
Free
Not currently in use; not taken; unoccupied.
You can sit on this chair; it's free.
Spare
Give up what is not strictly needed;
He asked if they could spare one of their horses to speed his journey
Free
Not attached; loose.
In this group of mushrooms, the gills are free.
Spare
Use frugally or carefully
Free
(military) Of a rocket or missile: not under the control of a guidance system after being launched.
Spare
Thin and fit;
The spare figure of a marathon runner
A body kept trim by exercise
Free
Without; not containing (what is specified); exempt; clear; liberated.
We had a wholesome, filling meal, free of meat.
I would like to live free from care in the mountains.
Spare
More than is needed, desired, or required;
Trying to lose excess weight
Found some extra change lying on the dresser
Yet another book on heraldry might be thought redundant
Skills made redundant by technological advance
Sleeping in the spare room
Supernumerary ornamentation
It was supererogatory of her to gloat
Delete superfluous (or unnecessary) words
Extra ribs as well as other supernumerary internal parts
Surplus cheese distributed to the needy
Free
(dated) Ready; eager; acting without spurring or whipping; spirited.
A free horse
Spare
Just sufficient;
The library had a spare but efficient look
Free
(dated) Invested with a particular freedom or franchise; enjoying certain immunities or privileges; admitted to special rights; followed by of.
Spare
Not taken up by scheduled activities;
A free hour between classes
Spare time on my hands
Free
Certain or honourable; the opposite of base.
Free service;
Free socage
Spare
Kept in reserve especially for emergency use;
A reserve supply of food
A spare tire
Spare parts
Free
(legal) Privileged or individual; the opposite of common.
A free fishery;
A free warren
Spare
Lacking in amplitude or quantity;
A bare livelihood
A scanty harvest
A spare diet
Free
Without needing to pay.
I got this bike free.
Free
(obsolete) Freely; willingly.
Free
(transitive) To make free; set at liberty; release.
Free
(transitive) To rid of something that confines or oppresses.
Free
To relinquish (previously allocated memory) to the system.
Free
Abbreviation of free kick
Free
(association football) A free transfer.
Free
(hurling) The usual means of restarting play after a foul is committed, where the non-offending team restarts from where the foul was committed.
Free
Abbreviation of freestyle
The team won the 200 meters free relay.
Free
Exempt from subjection to the will of others; not under restraint, control, or compulsion; able to follow one's own impulses, desires, or inclinations; determining one's own course of action; not dependent; at liberty.
That which has the power, or not the power, to operate, is that alone which is or is not free.
Free
Not under an arbitrary or despotic government; subject only to fixed laws regularly and fairly administered, and defended by them from encroachments upon natural or acquired rights; enjoying political liberty.
Free
Liberated, by arriving at a certain age, from the control of parents, guardian, or master.
Free
Not confined or imprisoned; released from arrest; liberated; at liberty to go.
Set an unhappy prisoner free.
Free
Not subjected to the laws of physical necessity; capable of voluntary activity; endowed with moral liberty; - said of the will.
Not free, what proof could they have given sincereOf true allegiance, constant faith, or love.
Free
Clear of offense or crime; guiltless; innocent.
My hands are guilty, but my heart is free.
Free
Unconstrained by timidity or distrust; unreserved; ingenuous; frank; familiar; communicative.
He was free only with a few.
Free
Unrestrained; immoderate; lavish; licentious; - used in a bad sense.
The critics have been very free in their censures.
A man may live a free life as to wine or women.
Free
Not close or parsimonious; liberal; open-handed; lavish; as, free with his money.
Free
Exempt; clear; released; liberated; not encumbered or troubled with; as, free from pain; free from a burden; - followed by from, or, rarely, by of.
Princes declaring themselves free from the obligations of their treaties.
Free
Characteristic of one acting without restraint; charming; easy.
Free
Ready; eager; acting without spurring or whipping; spirited; as, a free horse.
Free
Invested with a particular freedom or franchise; enjoying certain immunities or privileges; admitted to special rights; - followed by of.
He therefore makes all birds, of every sect,Free of his farm.
Free
Thrown open, or made accessible, to all; to be enjoyed without limitations; unrestricted; not obstructed, engrossed, or appropriated; open; - said of a thing to be possessed or enjoyed; as, a free school.
Why, sir, I pray, are not the streets as freeFor me as for you?
Free
Not gained by importunity or purchase; gratuitous; spontaneous; as, free admission; a free gift.
Free
Not arbitrary or despotic; assuring liberty; defending individual rights against encroachment by any person or class; instituted by a free people; - said of a government, institutions, etc.
Free
Certain or honorable; the opposite of base; as, free service; free socage.
Free
Privileged or individual; the opposite of common; as, a free fishery; a free warren.
Free
Not united or combined with anything else; separated; dissevered; unattached; at liberty to escape; as, free carbonic acid gas; free cells.
Free
Freely; willingly.
I as free forgive youAs I would be forgiven.
Free
Without charge; as, children admitted free.
Free
To make free; to set at liberty; to rid of that which confines, limits, embarrasses, oppresses, etc.; to release; to disengage; to clear; - followed by from, and sometimes by off; as, to free a captive or a slave; to be freed of these inconveniences.
Our land is from the rage of tigers freed.
Arise, . . . free thy people from their yoke.
Free
To remove, as something that confines or bars; to relieve from the constraint of.
This master keyFrees every lock, and leads us to his person.
Free
To frank.
Free
People who are free;
The home of the free and the brave
Free
Grant freedom to; free from confinement
Free
Relieve from;
Rid the the house of pests
Free
Remove or force out from a position;
The dentist dislodged the piece of food that had been stuck under my gums
He finally could free the legs of the earthquake victim who was buried in the rubble
Free
Grant relief or an exemption from a rule or requirement to;
She exempted me from the exam
Free
Make (information) available publication;
Release the list with the names of the prisoners
Free
Free from obligations or duties
Free
Free or remove obstruction from;
Free a path across the cluttered floor
Free
Let off the hook;
I absolve you from this responsibility
Free
Part with a possession or right;
I am relinquishing my bedroom to the long-term house guest
Resign a claim to the throne
Free
Make (assets) available;
Release the holdings in the dictator's bank account
Free
Able to act at will; not hampered; not under compulsion or restraint;
Free enterprise
A free port
A free country
I have an hour free
Free will
Free of racism
Feel free to stay as long as you wish
A free choice
Free
Unconstrained or not chemically bound in a molecule or not fixed and capable of relatively unrestricted motion;
Free expansion
Free oxygen
A free electron
Free
Costing nothing;
Complimentary tickets
Free
Not occupied or in use;
A free locker
A free lane
Free
Not fixed in position;
The detached shutter fell on him
He pulled his arm free and ran
Free
Not held in servitude;
After the Civil War he was a free man
Free
Not taken up by scheduled activities;
A free hour between classes
Spare time on my hands
Free
Not literal;
A loose interpretation of what she had been told
A free translation of the poem
Free
Without restraint;
Cows in India are running loose
Common Curiosities
What is a common scenario where both free and spare are beneficial?
In technology, having free software updates and spare hardware components is beneficial for efficiency and continuity.
How do businesses utilize free and spare concepts?
Businesses offer products or services for free to attract customers, whereas they maintain spare items or resources for operational reliability.
What does 'spare' commonly refer to?
It typically refers to something additional kept for specific uses or emergencies.
Can services be free and spare at the same time?
Yes, a service can be offered for free and kept as a spare or backup option.
Why is it important to have spare items?
Spare items ensure preparedness and smooth operation in case of failures or shortages.
What are the ethical implications of offering something for free?
Offering something for free can raise questions about motive, sustainability, and quality.
What does it mean when something is free?
It means there is no cost to obtain it.
How does culture affect the perception of free and spare?
Cultural values regarding resourcefulness and thrift can influence how positively 'spare' is viewed, whereas attitudes toward generosity and welfare may affect perceptions of 'free'.
Is 'free' always beneficial?
While free offers no financial cost, it may come with other limitations or expectations.
How do I decide when to use free versus spare in a sentence?
Use 'free' when emphasizing lack of cost or restrictions, and 'spare' when indicating additional, reserved availability.
Can something be both free and not spare?
Yes, for example, advice can be free and not held back for specific occasions.
Are there any situations where 'spare' is not a positive term?
In minimalism, having too many spare items might be seen as clutter or excess.
What role does technology play in managing free and spare resources?
Technology helps in efficiently distributing free resources and tracking spare inventories for optimal use.
How do free and spare interact in economic terms?
Economically, free goods can lead to increased consumption, whereas spare goods involve resource allocation and storage costs.
Do 'free' and 'spare' have different emotional impacts?
Yes, 'free' often generates a positive response due to perceived savings, while 'spare' conveys a sense of safety and prudence.
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Written by
Maham Liaqat
Edited by
Tayyaba RehmanTayyaba Rehman is a distinguished writer, currently serving as a primary contributor to askdifference.com. As a researcher in semantics and etymology, Tayyaba's passion for the complexity of languages and their distinctions has found a perfect home on the platform. Tayyaba delves into the intricacies of language, distinguishing between commonly confused words and phrases, thereby providing clarity for readers worldwide.
