as in dug
to urge or push forward with or as if with a pointed object
gently spurred the horse with his heels
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of spurred
Many were spurred on by religious fervor and the concept of Manifest Destiny, the belief that the Christian God had ordained that White settlers should colonize North America, from sea to shining sea.
—
Trevor Hughes, USA Today, 3 Nov. 2025
The threat of a delay also spurred lawsuits.
—Eleanor Pringle, Fortune, 3 Nov. 2025
The first spurred his resignation from the governorship in July 2004.
—David Mark, The Washington Examiner, 31 Oct. 2025
But similar restrictions on semiconductors spurred Chinese advances.
—Neil Thomas, Time, 29 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for spurred
Trevor Hughes, USA Today, 3 Nov. 2025
The threat of a delay also spurred lawsuits.
—Eleanor Pringle, Fortune, 3 Nov. 2025
The first spurred his resignation from the governorship in July 2004.
—David Mark, The Washington Examiner, 31 Oct. 2025
But similar restrictions on semiconductors spurred Chinese advances.
—Neil Thomas, Time, 29 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for spurred
Recent Examples of Synonyms for spurred
Verb
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Bring a headlamp to walk your bike through three 1870s railroad tunnels, each hand-dug by crews armed with little more than picks and shovels.—
Erin Gifford,
Outside,
30 Oct. 2025
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New beds should be dug or loosened to a depth of 12 inches for varieties with larger bulbs.—
Andy Wilcox,
Better Homes & Gardens,
29 Oct. 2025
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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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
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What ensues is a twisty mystery that is, per The Hollywood Reporter‘s review, poked and prodded at from all angles.—
Lily Ford,
HollywoodReporter,
5 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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In response, Delaware last March passed a law to make the state more alluring, to which Texas quickly counter-punched with an even friendlier law.—
Geoff Colvin,
Fortune,
7 Nov. 2025
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The woman punched the air with her umbrella.—
George Packer,
The Atlantic,
6 Nov. 2025
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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While on a high school field trip to see the British literature art collection at Yale University, a teacher nudged Riccoboni to skip the literature-centric exhibit and instead pop into a nearby gallery to see Hockney’s work.—
Michael James Rocha,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
2 Nov. 2025
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Would that have nudged him to the winner’s circle?—
Brian Moylan,
Vulture,
31 Oct. 2025
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 10 Nov. 2025.
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