spurred

Definition of spurrednext
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 But a rising swath of digital inventory, spurred by the rise of cheap FAST channels and increased inventory on mainstream streamers, has weakened the media companies’ stance. — Brian Steinberg, Variety, 27 Oct. 2026 Throughout October thousands joined the cause in Delhi and other Indian cities, their marches spurred by anger directed against an ongoing national exercise to overhaul the country’s electoral register. — Asim Ali, Time, 24 Oct. 2026 Strong consumer demand for digital-first experiences and digital money has spurred innovation, and central banks are fostering this through sandboxes and programs that connect banks, vendors and regulators. — Maghnus Mareneck, Forbes.com, 20 Oct. 2026 In a cafe in Mexico City once in the mid-Fifties, Pan spurred Rivera into a debate that Pan believed to have led Rivera to change the most controversial element in one of his most scandalous works. — David Hajdu, Vanity Fair, 20 Oct. 2026 That is the million-dollar question right now that has spurred plenty of conversation within the college football community. — Trey Wallace Outkick, FOXNews.com, 19 Oct. 2026 State officials tout the project as a bucket-list destination and massive restoration effort, but a CEQA exemption has spurred concern among tribes and environmentalists. — Lila Seidman, Los Angeles Times, 19 Oct. 2026 But for Jessica, reaching her childhood home in Huntington Beach spurred reminders of what was missing. — Norma Galeana, CNN Money, 18 Oct. 2026 The admission has spurred calls for changes to the museum’s verification process. — Anne Doran, ARTnews.com, 15 Oct. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for spurred
Verb
  • The music on Uncle feels innate, as if Funkhouser had dug these songs out from deep within the crawlspace in his brain.
    — Jeff Yerger, Pitchfork, 19 Oct. 2026
  • After a slow start dug a 24-point hole, the Falcons marched within one possession late, but still fell short.
    — Daniel Flick, AJC.com, 18 Oct. 2026
Verb
  • Pierce fled on foot and stabbed an officer in the neck with a knife, prompting authorities to open fire.
    — Leigh Egan, FOXNews.com, 24 Oct. 2026
  • Mothers who beat, shook, shot, drowned, strangled, and stabbed their babies.
    — Anja Aronowsky Cronberg, New Yorker, 24 Oct. 2026
Verb
  • Builders, prodded to work beyond city limits, adopted Olmsted’s vision for what those suburbs should look like.
    — Daniel Immerwahr, New Yorker, 28 Sep. 2026
  • She's trekked the Indian Himalayas, chanted with with Buddhist monks in Laos, chatted with a ghost in Bali and has been repeatedly poked, prodded and pummelled in the name of wellness.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 24 Aug. 2026
Verb
  • Kessler, standing nearby during Williams’ postgame news conference, poked his head out from behind a black curtain and gave his teammate a thumbs-up.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 17 Oct. 2026
  • Already poked, the league bear hasn’t exactly gone into hibernation, either.
    — Dana O’Neil, CNN Money, 13 Oct. 2026
Verb
  • The Miz pumped his fist twice and punched the air walking off the mound.
    — Rob Maaddi, Los Angeles Times, 29 Oct. 2026
  • The departure of Weil’s M&A chief, Michael Aiello, along with a team of partners, to Cravath last month punched a hole in the firm’s billings and rattled those left behind.
    — Rohan Goswami, semafor.com, 28 Oct. 2026
Verb
  • Garrett, the best defensive player of the post-Aaron Donald era, fittingly goaded the legend out of retirement.
    — Jeff Howe, New York Times, 4 Sep. 2026
  • Or Pablo Picasso, goaded into radicalism by the latest bizarre creations of Matisse, retreating to the Spanish mountain village of Gósol and, mere months later, beginning work on his proto-cubist masterpiece, Les Demoiselles d’Avignon.
    — Sebastian Smee, The Atlantic, 27 Aug. 2026
Verb
  • Vance has neither criticized his friend nor publicly nudged Carlson to temper what’s been harsh criticism of Israel — and Trump’s cultivation of the Netanyahu government.
    — Shelby Talcott, semafor.com, 26 Oct. 2026
  • Asteroids could also be nudged into more stable orbits, allowing more extensive future missions.
    — Andrew Jones, Space.com, 26 Oct. 2026
Verb
  • The score came courtesy of center back Casemiro, who tapped the ball to Suarez on the left side of the box before the Uruguayan knocked it into the top right corner.
    — Miami Herald, Miami Herald, 29 Oct. 2026
  • Pratt played three seasons at Elon and Northeastern before a foot injury knocked him out early last year.
    — Colleen Kane, Chicago Tribune, 28 Oct. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Spurred.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/spurred. Accessed 30 Oct. 2026.

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