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
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Recent Examples of spurred
Conway — who worked for years in New York City as an attorney but has more recently been living in Bethesda, Maryland — said he was spurred to run for Congress after a conversation with a friend about her frustration with some Democrats’ decision to vote to end last year’s government shutdown.
—
Anthony Izaguirre, Fortune, 6 Jan. 2026
Chinese prowess in building entire supply chains has spurred the United States and Europe to talk of reindustrialization to avoid any overreliance on Beijing.
—Shaoyu Yuan, The Conversation, 5 Nov. 2025
Surfing soon dominated my Internet searches, hijacked my REM cycles, inspired a move to California, and spurred a new approach to travel.
—David Amsden, Travel + Leisure, 5 Nov. 2025
In the weeks leading to Election Day, the massive ballot issue spurred criticism in online neighborhood groups and in-person meetings.
—Grace Tucker, Cincinnati Enquirer, 4 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for spurred
Anthony Izaguirre, Fortune, 6 Jan. 2026
Chinese prowess in building entire supply chains has spurred the United States and Europe to talk of reindustrialization to avoid any overreliance on Beijing.
—Shaoyu Yuan, The Conversation, 5 Nov. 2025
Surfing soon dominated my Internet searches, hijacked my REM cycles, inspired a move to California, and spurred a new approach to travel.
—David Amsden, Travel + Leisure, 5 Nov. 2025
In the weeks leading to Election Day, the massive ballot issue spurred criticism in online neighborhood groups and in-person meetings.
—Grace Tucker, Cincinnati Enquirer, 4 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for spurred
Recent Examples of Synonyms for spurred
Verb
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By allowing 26 second-chance points and 19 points off turnovers, the Bulls dug themselves deep on their own.—
Julia Poe,
Chicago Tribune,
6 Jan. 2026
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The coach, Mike McDaniel, proved a creative play-drawer, but dug an 0-3 hole in the season’s opening 12 days and beat just one winning team, Buffalo.—
Dave Hyde,
Sun Sentinel,
5 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Investigators found the bodies nearby — Davis and Shelton had been shot, Friedt had been stabbed with a hunting knife whose blade broke off in her chest, and Flemmons died from asphyxiation after suffering blunt-force injuries, per A&E, citing Julie Young’s book The Burger Chef Murders in Indiana.—
Christina Coulter,
PEOPLE,
8 Nov. 2025
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The ambassador stabbed Berry during the struggle, the Sheriff’s Office said.—
Daniel Lempres,
Sacbee.com,
8 Nov. 2025
Verb
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Specifically, McCarthy said she's constantly been prodded about her body.—
Christina Dugan Ramirez,
FOXNews.com,
7 Dec. 2025
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That revelation prodded insurgents in British possessions from Ireland to Sierra Leone to take to the streets to assert their own ambitions for economic and political autonomy over the decades to come.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
7 Nov. 2025
Verb
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Whoopi Goldberg, Emily Blunt and Natasha Lyonne were among the stars expressing their outrage, while Ryan Reynolds poked fun at Tilly in his new Mint Mobile ad.—
Diana Lodderhose,
Deadline,
7 Nov. 2025
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Low branches poked at the roof of our boat and brushed our arms.—
Idra Novey,
Travel + Leisure,
5 Nov. 2025
Verb
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With a merciless 56-22 thumping of Oregon in the Peach Bowl, the Hoosiers punched their ticket to their first national championship game appearance in program history.—
Jackson Thompson,
FOXNews.com,
10 Jan. 2026
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Jenkins brutally stomped and punched Coto, who was severely injured and put on life support.—
Tony Aiello,
CBS News,
8 Jan. 2026
Verb
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In one instance, Holmes alleged, Lorch goaded Holmes into a storage room and told him to climb a ladder to a lofted space to retrieve some uniforms.—
Luke Cyphers,
Sportico.com,
17 Oct. 2025
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Instead, he is now being goaded into the impossible retaking of land Ukraine could not get back in the summer of 2023, during a heavily prepped counter-offensive.—
Nick Paton Walsh,
CNN Money,
24 Sep. 2025
Verb
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As if nudged, Olie raised her head and began to speak.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
7 Jan. 2026
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Young, at the time working as a pizza maker at a Wegmans grocery store, briefly opened the door and then tried to shut it, taking out the knife when McEvilley nudged it back.—
Sheetal Banchariya,
New York Daily News,
6 Jan. 2026
Verb
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The campaign touted 3 million doors knocked and 90,000 volunteers.—
Eduardo Cuevas,
USA Today,
7 Nov. 2025
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The Lancers remained patient, chipping away until taking a 17-16 lead after three straight OLP errors, including Prior and Charlotte Wickstrand colliding on a ball, which knocked Wickstrand out for the set.—
Tim Meehan,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
5 Nov. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Spurred.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/spurred. Accessed 11 Jan. 2026.
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