to spar
5
7.1
- verb
- /spɑr/
:
discutir
- The students would spar playfully during lunch, often using humor to make their points.
- lawmakers spar
- continue to spar
And they begin to spar back and forth verbally.
- And they begin to spar back and forth verbally.
- It also likes to debate and spar and playfully argue, which I see you do well.
Examples
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During the meeting, the two politicians began to spar over their differing views on healthcare policy.
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This was while reading Chapter 12, in which two doctors spar over a patient.
Blog text (9) -
And they begin to spar back and forth verbally.
-
When he brings on conservative commentators like David Brooks or George Will to spar, he does seem nearly as willing to learn from them as to beat them.
Blog text (2) -
I have another union friend on Facebook, a retired teacher from my high school days who spars with me frequently when I post links to conservative-minded articles.
Blog text (24) -
I like to think blogs like ours fill a void where opinionated people who are reasonably informed can come and exchange and spar, even with incomplete information sets.
Blog text (7) -
Earlier this week, two former Merrill colleagues, since separated, were reunited on several media occasions and allowed to spar over their conflicting views of the world.
Blog text (34) -
In their friendly debates, they often spar about which movie is the best of all time.
Synonyms
607
1.1
To speak angrily with someone because you disagree
119
7.5
Argue angrily with someone about something
25
4.9
To have a short, unimportant argument with someone
11
6.9
Talk angrily to someone because of a disagreement
5
6.8
Argue strongly with someone, often in public
3
7.5
To argue directly with someone in public or in a debate
Take part in friendly playful talk that makes jokes and teases
To argue strongly in public, often in writing or speech
Antonyms
Compounds
- Specialized
A pale mineral containing calcium and magnesium that people use to make ceramics, get magnesium and improve soil
- Specialized
A clear mineral crystal that splits light into two rays that people use in optical experiments
How Intense
Surface Forms
Etymology
Spar meaning 'to argue playfully' comes from the boxing idea of quick exchanges, which people borrowed to describe fast back-and-forth speech. So when people spar, they are having a friendly, verbal fight rather than a serious one.