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 The oversight hearing underscored Patel’s turbulent tenure, from shouting matches with lawmakers and blended leisure travel to allegations of excessive drinking that spurred calls for his removal and a massive defamation suit. — Eric Tucker, Los Angeles Times, 15 Sep. 2026 The heat common to all these ideas would have spurred chemical reactions along. — Sarah Scoles, Scientific American, 15 Sep. 2026 China’s consumer inflation accelerated last month as the country reopened and the Lunar New Year holiday spurred demand, although gains remain muted enough for the central bank to keep easing monetary policy to support the economy’s recovery. — Anniek Bao,evelyn Cheng, CNBC, 15 Sep. 2026 On the positive side, the tobacco settlement spurred prevention programs to work together to address tobacco and other public health issues. — Susan Morrisey, STAT, 15 Sep. 2026 In fact, the flight may have spurred NASA to launch Apollo 8. — Tariq Malik, Space.com, 15 Sep. 2026 This spurred much criticism and backlash from pro-Israel groups. — Jon Blistein, Rolling Stone, 14 Sep. 2026 Healy attacked with three laps left, using the steep slopes of the Côte Camillien-Houde to pull clear, a move that spurred the favorites, led by Tom Pidcock, Paul Seixas and Evenepoel, to up the pace with 38km left. — Duncan Alexander, New York Times, 13 Sep. 2026 Producers believe Barrymore has a significant audience that watches her on social media, says Kurtz, and that has spurred the program to take new swings even as the show matures. — Brian Steinberg, Variety, 10 Sep. 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for spurred

Verb

At Fuerte Guaicaipuro, a military facility, investigators documented detainees being confined in pit-like cells dug below ground level and subjected to cold, food deprivation and other degrading treatment.

— Antonio María Delgado, Miami Herald, 16 Sep. 2026
Winnipeg general manager Kevin Cheveldayoff has dug his heels in quite a bit already, but letting this drag into the season would be a different risk.

— Matthew Fairburn, New York Times, 14 Sep. 2026

Definition of dug

Verb

The dog’s ribs poked out, her skin was irritated and red, and patches of fur were missing — a possible sign of mange.

— Sandra McDonald, Los Angeles Times, 15 Sep. 2026
In between, Arsenal had plenty of attacking joy, particularly when the slick positional rotations of their right flank poked at the weak spot on the left of Chelsea’s defence.

— Liam Twomey, New York Times, 7 Sep. 2026

Definition of poked

Verb

One punched him in the face, and another stabbed him once in the buttocks, police said.

— Jesse Zanger, CBS News, 14 Sep. 2026
After the Giants punched their ticket by sweeping two games from the Ports, Haines confirmed that Flora would take the ball one more time in next week’s best-of-3 series against Lake Elsinore.

— Andrew Baggarly, New York Times, 11 Sep. 2026

Definition of punched

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

Definition of goaded

Verb

Officials also nudged up their expectations for inflation this year.

— Jeff Cox, CNBC, 16 Sep. 2026
Miley Cyrus, open-mouthed, nudged Kerry Washington as the woman in spangles swept by—this was red-carpet clothing, flashbulb clothing, clothing to be seen in once rather than excavated annually from a closet of perennials.

— Lauren Collins, New Yorker, 7 Sep. 2026

Definition of nudged

Verb

The news comes roughly a month after fellow receiver Ricky Pearsall had knee surgery that knocked him out for the season.

— Chris Biderman, Sacbee.com, 16 Sep. 2026
Walmart knocked Harris Teeter from the top spot in 2019 and has dominated the Charlotte market since with 23% of the market share last year.

— Charlotte Observer, Charlotte Observer, 15 Sep. 2026