Thesaurus results for SPURRED

spurred

verb

Definition of spurred

past tense of spur

as in dug

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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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 spurred On the July 21 episode of Grede’s show, Chamberlain opened up about what spurred the break, touching first on her YouTube channel. — Tabitha Parent, PEOPLE, 23 July 2026 The gift has already spurred more than $25 million in additional donations, for a total investment topping $100 million so far. — Sydney Lake, Fortune, 23 July 2026 The massive popularity of KPop Demon Hunters spurred a massive immense demand for merchandise inspired by the title, and Hasbro is among the companies to answer the call from consumers. — Tim Lammers, Forbes.com, 23 July 2026 Franchise owner Jonathan Willis told The Star on Tuesday evening that a series of negative Google reviews on July 15 spurred his decision. — Kansas City Star, 23 July 2026 Khan said he is concerned by a rise in hate crimes targeting Muslims and Jews, spurred in part by conflicts in the Middle East. — ABC News, 23 July 2026 For news, don’t miss Sarah Todd’s great story on THC beverages, which was spurred by a colleague’s rant in one of our regular team meetings. — Theresa Gaffney, STAT, 21 July 2026 The civil rights workers had been missing for more than a month; their murders spurred international outrage. — USA Today, 21 July 2026 The letters spurred mass confusion and frustration as drivers were not provided with information on what specific issues were found. — Clara Harter, Los Angeles Times, 15 July 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for spurred

Verb

There, the cast and crew of the series dug deep into its upcoming third season.

— Emlyn Travis, Entertainment Weekly, 23 July 2026
Hitting the gym is generally good for heart health, but the researchers in the study dug deeper to see how different types of cardiovascular disease risk were affected.

— Nick Blackmer, Verywell Health, 23 July 2026

Definition of dug

Verb

Carlos Dominguez stabbed two people to death in Davis and nearly killed a third.

— Sharon Bernstein, Sacbee.com, 27 July 2026
Ethan Chapin, 20; Kaylee Goncalves, 21; Xana Kernodle, 20; and Madison Mogen, 21, were fatally stabbed in the early morning hours of November 13, 2022, in Moscow, Idaho, authorities said.

— Cindy Von Quednow, CNN Money, 27 July 2026

Definition of stabbed

Verb

On cross-examination, defense attorney Blair Berk prodded Wallace to admit that her chemical analysis — done months after prosecutors believe Burke turned his garage into an abattoir — did not definitively prove the presence of blood.

— Richard Winton, Los Angeles Times, 22 July 2026
Goldfarb rhetorically asks himself when prodded for response.

— Brad Japhe, Forbes.com, 7 July 2026

Definition of prodded

Verb

Before McDaniel’s first NFL game, one Vikings defender aggressively poked his left eye in practice.

— Alec Lewis, New York Times, 24 July 2026
It’s now understood that Russia in 2016 poked the election systems in all 50 states to check what protections were in place and accessed—but did not change—some very local registration rosters in Florida and Illinois.

— Philip Elliott, Time, 17 July 2026

Definition of poked

Verb

Yes, Governor Kazuo Ueda nudged rates to a 31‑year high of 1% in mid‑June.

— William Pesek, Forbes.com, 23 July 2026
No team has embraced the Rubik’s Cube nature of the three-team trade like the Rays, who have nudged their way into five of the past six three-way swaps.

— Stephen J. Nesbitt, New York Times, 23 July 2026

Definition of nudged

Verb

As Occhicone knocked on windows and doors, he was confronted by Gerrity's 66-year-old father, Raymon Artzner.

— Amanda Lee Myers, USA Today, 29 July 2026
In one photo, Bloom appeared to have just popped his head out of the water as Laemmel approached, and in another, the model wrapped her arms around the actor before — as seen in another snap — a wave knocked Bloom over into the water.

— Rachel Raposas, PEOPLE, 28 July 2026