spur-of-the-moment

adjective

spur-of-the-mo·​ment ˈspər-ə(v)-ṯẖə-ˈmō-mənt How to pronounce spur-of-the-moment (audio)
: occurring or developing without premeditation : hastily extemporized
a spur-of-the-moment decision

Examples of spur-of-the-moment in a Sentence

a spur-of-the-moment trip to the zoo
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Just a few days later, while awaiting the results, Reid fell into cardiac arrest while by himself at home during lunchtime, fortunately at the moment his wife Samantha was making a spur-of-the-moment drop-in during a break from work. Theoden Janes, Charlotte Observer, 28 Aug. 2025 Some are great—like spur-of-the-moment trips to the beach and invites to a new friend’s backyard pool. Tara Massouleh McCay, Southern Living, 21 July 2025 Astro was in the shelter for about two or three weeks before Nelson's spur-of-the-moment decision landed him in his forever home. Liz O'Connell, MSNBC Newsweek, 3 July 2025 The push and pull lends itself to some juicy dramatic tension, with Jacob even taking a punch to the face after a spur-of-the-moment kiss goes awry. Edward Segarra, USA Today, 1 July 2025 See All Example Sentences for spur-of-the-moment

Word History

First Known Use

1948, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of spur-of-the-moment was in 1948

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Cite this Entry

“Spur-of-the-moment.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/spur-of-the-moment. Accessed 11 Sep. 2025.

Kids Definition

spur-of-the-moment

adjective
: made or done by the sudden making up of one's mind
a spur-of-the moment decision
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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