Superfluous vs Spare - What's the Difference?

Spare

Superfluous

Definitions

Definition as Noun
  • a score in tenpins; knocking down all ten after rolling two balls
  • an extra car wheel and tire for a four-wheel vehicle
  • an extra component of a machine or other apparatus
Definition as Noun
Definition as Verb
  • save or relieve from an experience or action
  • use frugally or carefully
  • give up what is not strictly needed
  • refrain from harming
Definition as Verb
Definition as Adjective
  • kept in reserve especially for emergency use
  • lacking in magnitude or quantity
  • more than is needed, desired, or required
  • not taken up by scheduled activities
  • lacking embellishment or ornamentation
  • thin and fit
Definition as Adjective
  • more than is needed, desired, or required
  • serving no useful purpose; having no excuse for being

Examples

  • "a reserve supply of food"; "a spare tire"; "spare parts"
  • "a bare livelihood"; "a scanty harvest"; "a spare diet"
  • "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"
  • "a free hour between classes"; "spare time on my hands"
  • "a plain hair style"; "unembellished white walls"; "functional architecture featuring stark unornamented concrete"
  • "the spare figure of a marathon runner"; "a body kept trim by exercise"
  • "I'll spare you from having to apologize formally"
  • "he asked if they could spare one of their horses to speed his journey"
  • "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"
  • "otiose lines in a play"; "advice is wasted words"; "a pointless remark"; "a life essentially purposeless"; "senseless violence"

Parts of Speech

Adjective, Noun, Verb
Adjective