Sparingly
/ˈspɛərɪŋli/
Definitions
In a restricted or cautious manner; in small amounts or quantities.
/ˈspɛərɪŋli/
In a careful or restrained manner; not in large amounts or quantities.
She used spices sparingly to avoid overpowering the dish.
💡 Simply: Imagine you're at a fancy restaurant and you want to savor every bite. You eat sparingly – slowly and carefully, so you can enjoy the whole experience without overdoing it. It's like using just a little bit of something to make it last.
👶 For kids: Using a little bit of something, like when you only take a few cookies from the cookie jar!
More Examples
Resources were used sparingly during the wartime efforts.
He spent his money sparingly, saving most of it for retirement.
The artist applied paint sparingly to create a delicate effect.
How It's Used
"He ate sparingly to maintain his weight."
"The company invested sparingly to minimize risk."
"She used salt sparingly in her cooking."
From Middle English *sparingly*, from the adjective *sparing* (from Old English *sparian*, "to save, spare") + -ly.
The use of 'sparingly' has remained consistent throughout history, evolving from its Old English roots to describe careful and restrained actions or uses.