as in rejected
to show unwillingness to accept, do, engage in, or agree to
fiercely independent, the elderly couple spurned all offers of financial help
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Recent Examples of spurned
China has looked to woo regional powers spurned by Washington’s protectionist turn.
—
J.d. Capelouto, semafor.com, 24 Feb. 2026
The film is a Southern gothic dysfunctional family drama in which Duvall played a father who was spurned by a wife who remarried and moved to England.
—Mike Fleming Jr, Deadline, 19 Feb. 2026
Neguse took a different tack, highlighting other ways the Bondi has spurned justice.
—The Denver Post Editorial Board, Denver Post, 17 Feb. 2026
Official Hollywood posters, especially in the Reagan years, were spurned in favor of surreal homegrown imagery, most of it only obliquely connected to the movies in question.
—Anthony Lane, New Yorker, 16 Feb. 2026
The darker strands of the young Tennyson’s existence—madness, spurned love, ruinous genes, insolvency—would become the themes of a later poem that Holmes regards as pivotal.
—James Parker, The Atlantic, 10 Feb. 2026
Kaoru Mitoma also spurned a good opportunity in the opening quarter of the contest, slotting wide of the far post after exchanging passes with Welbeck.
—Andy Naylor, New York Times, 2 Feb. 2026
Braddy’s motive, Rifkin said, was that he was spurned by Maycock, who had repeatedly rejected his advances.
—Grethel Aguila, Miami Herald, 30 Jan. 2026
Less than 24 hours after Tucker spurned the Mets, the team pivoted to Bo Bichette, bringing him in on a three-year deal worth $126 million.
—Dan Freedman, Forbes.com, 23 Jan. 2026
J.d. Capelouto, semafor.com, 24 Feb. 2026
The film is a Southern gothic dysfunctional family drama in which Duvall played a father who was spurned by a wife who remarried and moved to England.
—Mike Fleming Jr, Deadline, 19 Feb. 2026
Neguse took a different tack, highlighting other ways the Bondi has spurned justice.
—The Denver Post Editorial Board, Denver Post, 17 Feb. 2026
Official Hollywood posters, especially in the Reagan years, were spurned in favor of surreal homegrown imagery, most of it only obliquely connected to the movies in question.
—Anthony Lane, New Yorker, 16 Feb. 2026
The darker strands of the young Tennyson’s existence—madness, spurned love, ruinous genes, insolvency—would become the themes of a later poem that Holmes regards as pivotal.
—James Parker, The Atlantic, 10 Feb. 2026
Kaoru Mitoma also spurned a good opportunity in the opening quarter of the contest, slotting wide of the far post after exchanging passes with Welbeck.
—Andy Naylor, New York Times, 2 Feb. 2026
Braddy’s motive, Rifkin said, was that he was spurned by Maycock, who had repeatedly rejected his advances.
—Grethel Aguila, Miami Herald, 30 Jan. 2026
Less than 24 hours after Tucker spurned the Mets, the team pivoted to Bo Bichette, bringing him in on a three-year deal worth $126 million.
—Dan Freedman, Forbes.com, 23 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for spurned
Verb
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Boston Celtics star Jaylen Brown rejected Beverly Hills’ apology after police shut down his private All-Star Weekend event, citing financial and reputational harm.—
Hannah Fry,
Los Angeles Times,
6 Mar. 2026
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In Shelley’s novel, the lonely creature demands a romantic companion after he is rejected by humanity.—
Leah Dolan,
CNN Money,
6 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Reporters from outlets that refused to consent to the new rules, including those from the Associated Press, have continued reporting on the military from outside the building.—
Michael Kunzelman,
Los Angeles Times,
7 Mar. 2026
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The judge reminded the court that Cox filed the motion in January 2026 and refused to delay the hearing.—
Amy DeLaura,
The Washington Examiner,
7 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Township officials also offered assistance during a public meeting to help address those concerns, but the university declined the help, the lawsuit alleges.—
Frederick Sutton Sinclair,
CBS News,
8 Mar. 2026
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The Army Corps declined to comment for this article, citing the ongoing lawsuit.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
8 Mar. 2026
Verb
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The dog ignored him, and licked the boy’s face.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
5 Mar. 2026
-
The forward mix can’t be ignored.—
Eric Stephens,
New York Times,
5 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Spurned.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/spurned. Accessed 9 Mar. 2026.
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