Cool MateSave your pity and your mercy vs Spare
When to use each in English, with meaning, register, and examples.
Save your pity and your mercy
Beyond 10,000 (less common)
Spare
Top 2,000 (common)B2adjective
Most common: Spare
| Save your pity and your mercy | Spare | |
|---|---|---|
| Pronunciation | 🇬🇧 //seɪv jɔː pɪti ənd jɔː ˈmɜːsi//🇺🇸 //seɪv jɔr ˈpɪti ənd jɔr ˈmɜrsi// | 🇬🇧 /["/speə(r)/"]/🇺🇸 /["/sper/"]/ |
| Meaning | Don't waste your kindness and sympathy. | extra or unused. |
| Example | When I failed the exam, my friend said, 'Just save your pity and your mercy; I’m fine.' | He's studying music in his **spare time**. |
| Register | Neutral | Neutral |
| How common | Beyond 10,000 (less common) | Top 2,000 (common) |
| CEFR level | - | B2 |
| Part of speech | adjective | |
| Collocations | show mercy, feel pity, save compassion | spare time, spare parts, spare room, spare change, spare tire |
| Antonyms | - | deplete, consume, use up |
| Common mistakes | Using 'pity' instead of 'sympathy' incorrectly., Confusing 'mercy' with 'forgiveness'. | Confusing 'spare' with 'share'., Using 'spare' with uncountable nouns incorrectly., Misplacing it in a sentence, like saying 'spare me some time' instead of 'spare some time for me.' |
| Usage notes | This phrase is often used to tell someone that their compassion is not needed. It's appropriate in contexts where someone tries to show sympathy for a situation that doesn't deserve it. | Use 'spare' to describe something extra that can be used if needed. It's common in everyday conversation and writing, but avoid using it in overly formal contexts. |
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Frequently asked questions: Save your pity and your mercy vs Spare
What's the difference between Save your pity and your mercy and Spare?
Save your pity and your mercy: Don't waste your kindness and sympathy. Spare: extra or unused.
Which is more common: Save your pity and your mercy and Spare?
Spare is the most common in everyday English.
Can you show an example of each?
Save your pity and your mercy: When I failed the exam, my friend said, 'Just save your pity and your mercy; I’m fine.' Spare: He's studying music in his **spare time**.
Can I use Save your pity and your mercy and Spare interchangeably?
Not always. Save your pity and your mercy and Spare are related and overlap in some contexts, but they differ in register, how common they are, and usage, so swapping one for another can change the meaning or tone. Check the differences above before substituting.