sparing
Reluctant to spend
Sparing means restrained or limited in use—giving or using only what's necessary.
A sparing use of salt means just a little.
Someone sparing with praise offers it rarely.
The word often implies deliberate economy rather than scarcity: Be sparing with the details.
Separately, sparing is the present participle of spare.
Prudent with resources
- economicalUsing resources sparingly
- prudentExercising sound judgment
- parsimoniousExcessively unwilling to spend
- tightfistedUnwilling to spend freely
penny-pinching · stingy · miserly · budget-conscious · cost-conscious · provident · cheap · scrimping
Lessen intensity or preside
- temperateMild, avoiding extremes
- measuredCarefully considered, unhurried
- cautiousCareful to avoid risk
- carefulExercising caution and attention
judicious · guarded · reserved · discreet · conservative · limited · controlled · circumspect
Tolerant of faults
- forgivingInclined to pardon offenses
- compassionateShowing concern for sufferers
- clementMild, showing leniency
- gentleSoft and kind
soft · kind · mild · charitable · indulgent · forbearing · easy · tolerant
Showing careful judgment
- choosyOverly particular about preferences
- particularSpecific or fussy
- pickyExcessively selective or particular
- carefulExercising caution and attention
discerning · judicious · fastidious · exacting · critical · demanding · finicky · fussy
thrifty
Prudent with resources
- economicalUsing resources sparingly
- prudentExercising sound judgment
- parsimoniousExcessively unwilling to spend
tightfisted · penny-pinching · stingy · miserly · budget-conscious · cost-conscious · provident · cheap · scrimping · niggardly
moderate
Lessen intensity or preside
- temperateMild, avoiding extremes
- measuredCarefully considered, unhurried
- cautiousCareful to avoid risk
careful · judicious · guarded · reserved · discreet · conservative · limited · controlled · circumspect · deliberate
lenient
Tolerant of faults
- forgivingInclined to pardon offenses
- compassionateShowing concern for sufferers
- clementMild, showing leniency
gentle · soft · kind · mild · charitable · indulgent · forbearing · easy · tolerant · benevolent
discriminating
Showing careful judgment
- choosyOverly particular about preferences
- particularSpecific or fussy
- pickyExcessively selective or particular
careful · discerning · judicious · fastidious · exacting · critical · demanding · finicky · fussy · persnickety
meager
Deficient in quantity
lean · slight · scanty · skimpy · thin · modest · light · inadequate · insufficient · paltry
- mercyclemency, compassion, forgiveness, leniency, lenience
- Excusingjustifying, forgiving, pardoning, condoning, rationalizing
- Money-Saving Wordsthrifty, frugal, economical, budget-conscious, cost-conscious
- resource managementbudget, budgeting, saving, allocation, allocating
sparinggenerous
Willing to give freely
lavish · bountiful · munificent · openhanded · freehanded
sparingwasteful
Using resources carelessly
prodigal · profligate · spendthrift · extravagant · squandering
- sparing no effortUsing maximum exertion