as in rejecting
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 spurning
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
The application will test an agency that has promised to speed new gene-editing treatments to patients but has recently come under scrutiny from regulators, executives, and advocates for spurning a string of gene therapies for neurological diseases.
—Jason Mast, STAT, 3 Mar. 2026
Leeds kept pushing, and kept winning the ball back, but for a good half-hour, City kept trying regardless, spurning the opportunity to go long to Antoine Semenyo, who looks a capable target man, but is no Haaland (nobody is).
—Sam Lee, New York Times, 2 Mar. 2026
Bo Bichette spurning the Phillies for the NL East rival New York Mets was akin to a gut punch for the NL East champions.
—CBS News, 20 Jan. 2026
After a lengthy standoff, Lane Kiffin finally made a decision on his coaching future by spurning the Ole Miss Rebels and a shot at a national title for the LSU Tigers.
—Andrew McCarty, MSNBC Newsweek, 2 Dec. 2025
People Magazine, spurning millions of sexy dead people, has once again chosen a Sexiest Man Alive.
—Choire Sicha, CNN Money, 4 Nov. 2025
After spurning offers from such interested parties as maitre d’ Craig Susser — who opened his own namesake restaurant in 2011 — Tana sold Dan Tana’s in 2009 to friend Sonja Perencevic, who still runs it.
—Ryan Gajewski, HollywoodReporter, 7 Sep. 2025
Shortly after spurning his conjugal love tent vehicle, Colby received a call from Pontiac with a proposition.
—EW.com, 13 Aug. 2025
Grace Gilson, Sun Sentinel, 23 Mar. 2026
The application will test an agency that has promised to speed new gene-editing treatments to patients but has recently come under scrutiny from regulators, executives, and advocates for spurning a string of gene therapies for neurological diseases.
—Jason Mast, STAT, 3 Mar. 2026
Leeds kept pushing, and kept winning the ball back, but for a good half-hour, City kept trying regardless, spurning the opportunity to go long to Antoine Semenyo, who looks a capable target man, but is no Haaland (nobody is).
—Sam Lee, New York Times, 2 Mar. 2026
Bo Bichette spurning the Phillies for the NL East rival New York Mets was akin to a gut punch for the NL East champions.
—CBS News, 20 Jan. 2026
After a lengthy standoff, Lane Kiffin finally made a decision on his coaching future by spurning the Ole Miss Rebels and a shot at a national title for the LSU Tigers.
—Andrew McCarty, MSNBC Newsweek, 2 Dec. 2025
People Magazine, spurning millions of sexy dead people, has once again chosen a Sexiest Man Alive.
—Choire Sicha, CNN Money, 4 Nov. 2025
After spurning offers from such interested parties as maitre d’ Craig Susser — who opened his own namesake restaurant in 2011 — Tana sold Dan Tana’s in 2009 to friend Sonja Perencevic, who still runs it.
—Ryan Gajewski, HollywoodReporter, 7 Sep. 2025
Shortly after spurning his conjugal love tent vehicle, Colby received a call from Pontiac with a proposition.
—EW.com, 13 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for spurning
Verb
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Trump has criticized European countries for rejecting or hesitating to get involved in the war with Iran.—
NPR Staff,
NPR,
17 Apr. 2026
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Questionable fee calculations, bait and switch practices and rejecting measures to improve transparency are not ways to earn that support.—
Jan Goldsmith,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
17 Apr. 2026
Verb
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In 1999, the IRS and the Department of Justice served him with an order requiring him to appear in federal court and explain why he shouldn’t be held in contempt for refusing to disclose information about his bank accounts and assets.—
Jacqueline Munis,
Fortune,
16 Apr. 2026
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The new fines will range from $100 up to $1,000 for each offense, including increasing rent, decreasing services or refusing to renew a rental agreement because the tenant has complained about a housing violation in good faith.—
Claire Murphy,
Chicago Tribune,
16 Apr. 2026
Verb
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The Salt Lake County District Attorney's Office also reviewed evidence from West Jordan before declining to file charges.—
Luke Chinman,
PEOPLE,
17 Apr. 2026
-
Birth rates and fertility trends The administration is overhauling Title X in the context of declining birth rates.—
Dr. Céline Gounder,
CBS News,
16 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
The pope ignoring atrocities The papal mission appears to have overlooked a visit to Nigeria.—
Chicago Tribune,
Chicago Tribune,
21 Apr. 2026
-
The beats lazily play into aughts pastiche, ignoring the 15 years of mutation that have morphed trap into plugg, rage, drill, and SahBabii.—
Stephen Kearse,
Pitchfork,
21 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Spurning.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/spurning. Accessed 23 Apr. 2026.
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