demurs; demurred; demurring
formal
1
: to disagree politely with another person's statement or suggestion
She suggested that he would win easily, but he demurred, saying he expected the election to be close.
2
: to politely refuse to accept a request or suggestion
A number of people wanted her to run for governor, but she demurred. [=declined]
chiefly British, formal
: an act of disagreeing about something
—usually used in the phrase without demur
She accepted the group's decision without demur. [=(more commonly) without protest]
Cite this Entry
“Demur.” Merriam-Webster.com Simple Definition, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/simple/demur. Accessed 20 Apr. 2026.
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