spur 1 of 2

as in to stab
to urge or push forward with or as if with a pointed object gently spurred the horse with his heels

Synonyms & Similar Words

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spur

2 of 2

noun

Synonym Chooser

How does the noun spur contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of spur are goad, impulse, incentive, inducement, and motive. While all these words mean "a stimulus to action," spur applies to a motive that stimulates the faculties or increases energy or ardor.

fear was a spur to action

In what contexts can goad take the place of spur?

While the synonyms goad and spur are close in meaning, goad suggests a motive that keeps one going against one's will or desire.

thought insecurity a goad to worker efficiency

When might impulse be a better fit than spur?

The meanings of impulse and spur largely overlap; however, impulse suggests a driving power arising from personal temperament or constitution.

buying on impulse

When could incentive be used to replace spur?

Although the words incentive and spur have much in common, incentive applies to an external influence (such as an expected reward) inciting to action.

a bonus was offered as an incentive

When can inducement be used instead of spur?

While in some cases nearly identical to spur, inducement suggests a motive prompted by the deliberate enticements or allurements of another.

offered a watch as an inducement to subscribe

Where would motive be a reasonable alternative to spur?

The words motive and spur can be used in similar contexts, but motive implies an emotion or desire operating on the will and causing it to act.

a motive for the crime

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of spur
Verb
Public interest in the crash spurred a 1992 TV movie, A Thousand Heroes — also known as Crash Landing: The Rescue of Flight 232, starring Charlton Heston — as well as documentaries and books, including Flight 232: A Story of Disaster and Survival by Laurence Gonzales, published in 2015. Susan Young, People.com, 25 June 2025 The brutal conditions, spurred by a potent heat dome, peaked Tuesday after building over the weekend in the central US and reaching levels rivaling summer’s hottest weather in the East Monday. Mary Gilbert, CNN Money, 24 June 2025
Noun
According to the National Wild Turkey Federation, around one percent of toms have multiple spurs. Bob McNally, Outdoor Life, 7 May 2025 Each of its legs had a 1 3/8-inch spur, plus another 5/8-inch spur beside the first one. Bob McNally, Outdoor Life, 7 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for spur
Recent Examples of Synonyms for spur
Verb
  • Early morning stabbing in Downtown Pittsburgh sends one person to hospital Food & Drink Product Recall Walmart Kroger Mary Cunningham Mary Cunningham is a reporter for CBS MoneyWatch.
    Anne Marie D. Lee, CBS News, 18 June 2025
  • The victim appeared to have been stabbed in his cheek.
    Ethan Wolin, Sacbee.com, 17 June 2025
Noun
  • Israel’s contention that Iran would soon be able to build a nuclear weapon was the impetus for the conflict, which began with Israel Defense Forces strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities and against Iran’s military and nuclear program scientists on the night of June 12-13.
    Brad Lendon, CNN Money, 24 June 2025
  • Tyler Grill said the festival has brought nearly 100,000 people in the city, which was the impetus for starting an annual festival in Bushnell Park.
    Christopher Arnott, Hartford Courant, 22 June 2025
Noun
  • The costs of war The U.S. remained the most generous single contributor of aid to Ukraine as of April 2025, according to the Kiel Institute for the World Economy, a research group based in Germany that tracks support from foreign governments toward Ukraine.
    David Brennan, ABC News, 19 June 2025
  • These gains, Putin thinks, will lead Washington to taper off crucial weapons support from the U.S. and NATO.
    Steve Forbes, Forbes.com, 19 June 2025
Verb
  • Accordingly, this summer’s SHPO dig uncovered both metal assay materials and household artifacts.
    Alex Music, Idaho Statesman, 21 June 2025
  • Support journalism that digs deeper into topics that matter most to Arkansans.
    Eric E. Harrison, Arkansas Online, 21 June 2025
Noun
  • This prompted the lawmaker to question why someone would want to run away from these incentives and avoid detection.
    Asher Notheis, The Washington Examiner, 25 June 2025
  • While American pharmaceutical development exhibits signs of institutional sclerosis, China’s system demonstrates the power of aligned incentives, streamlined processes, and strategic coordination between regulatory bodies, research institutions, and industry players.
    Greg Licholai MD, Forbes.com, 25 June 2025
Verb
  • Cunningham came to the defense of her teammate Clark, retaliating with less than a minute left on the clock after, earlier in the game, the Fever's superstar player was poked in the eye and then knocked to the ground by two separate Sun players.
    Ben Verbrugge, MSNBC Newsweek, 19 June 2025
  • As Clark backed Sheldon down at the top of the key, Sheldon poked Clark in the eye.
    Ryan Gaydos, FOXNews.com, 18 June 2025
Noun
  • Rather than targeted, cautiously executed uses, many throw generative AI at any task imaginable, with Big Tech’s encouragement.
    Matteo Wong, The Atlantic, 18 June 2025
  • For 16 years, the book quietly traveled in Sofia’s backpack, a secret project that blossomed into a treasure trove of encouragement and heartfelt memories.
    Ashley Vega, People.com, 18 June 2025
Noun
  • All academics in some form or fashion, the group swapped ideas at the intersection of their research: causal machine learning, reinforcement learning, and AI agents.
    Allie Garfinkle, Fortune, 18 June 2025
  • Suddenly the team that had too much starting pitching might not have enough — especially with Frankie Montas and Sean Manaea, the reinforcements the Mets thought were on the horizon, combining to post an 11.95 ERA in eight rehab starts.
    Jerry Beach, Forbes.com, 17 June 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Spur.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/spur. Accessed 3 Jul. 2025.

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