spurned; spurning; spurns
1
: to reject with disdain or contempt : scorn
spurned their offer
2
: to tread sharply or heavily upon : trample
1
archaic
: to reject something disdainfully
2
spurner
noun
1
a
: disdainful rejection
b
: contemptuous treatment
2
a
b
obsolete
: stumble
Examples of spurn in a Sentence
Verb
fiercely independent, the elderly couple spurned all offers of financial help
Recent Examples on the Web
Edgar Thompson, The Orlando Sentinel, 9 Apr. 2026
According to the student paper, Welsh became extremely popular and spurned the advances of the men on campus.
—Patrick Salland, Kansas City Star, 7 Apr. 2026
In a case of serious schadenfreude, the player left on the Carolina trash heap earned most outstanding player honors, courtesy of 19 points, two assists and one turnover, on the same day that his old school finally found a new head coach – having been spurned by, among others, his current coach.
—Dana O’Neil, CNN Money, 7 Apr. 2026
Waning support for Israel, and increasingly bipartisan disapproval of the war in Iran, has loomed large over the primary elections, with candidates increasingly spurning the support of the American Israel Public Affairs Committee and sharpening their criticism of the country.
—Grace Gilson, Sun Sentinel, 23 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for spurn
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.
Verb
The 6-foot-5, 300-pound Hiller spurned Alabama, Ohio State and Tennessee to join a program in need of talent up front during first-year head coach Jon Sumrall’s rebuild.
—Edgar Thompson, The Orlando Sentinel, 9 Apr. 2026
According to the student paper, Welsh became extremely popular and spurned the advances of the men on campus.
—Patrick Salland, Kansas City Star, 7 Apr. 2026
In a case of serious schadenfreude, the player left on the Carolina trash heap earned most outstanding player honors, courtesy of 19 points, two assists and one turnover, on the same day that his old school finally found a new head coach – having been spurned by, among others, his current coach.
—Dana O’Neil, CNN Money, 7 Apr. 2026
Waning support for Israel, and increasingly bipartisan disapproval of the war in Iran, has loomed large over the primary elections, with candidates increasingly spurning the support of the American Israel Public Affairs Committee and sharpening their criticism of the country.
—Grace Gilson, Sun Sentinel, 23 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for spurn
Cite this Entry
“Spurn.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/spurn. Accessed 23 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
