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

Relevance

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 This rising use of AI has principally been spurred by the evolving advances and widespread adoption of generative AI. Lance Eliot, Forbes.com, 31 May 2026 That was part of a broader social media field day spurred on by The New York Post’s Instagram announcement of the news, which touted that 20% of those infected will die. Clara Molot, Vanity Fair, 30 May 2026 Rising sea levels driving costs for communities All along the coasts, towns are facing rising risks and costs spurred in part by rising sea levels. Dinah Voyles Pulver, USA Today, 29 May 2026 In a nearby tent was Zuhoor Musa Abdul Rahman, a 30-year-old housewife who recounted with unnatural calm the horrors that spurred her to flee El Fasher, a city some 300 miles east of Obeid. Nabih Bulos, Los Angeles Times, 24 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for spurred
Recent Examples of Synonyms for spurred
Verb
  • When challenged by Palo Alto’s Amaya Bharadway in the final 100 meters, Dailey dug down and pulled away.
    Steve Brand, San Diego Union-Tribune, 31 May 2026
  • Suarez walked Fry to load the bases, but dug deep and struck out Manzardo and Stuart Fairchild, who lost an ABS challenge in the process.
    Gabrielle Starr, Boston Herald, 31 May 2026
Verb
  • Digwa stabbed him five times, causing significant internal bleeding from a chest wound, local police said in a statement.
    Issy Ronald, CNN Money, 3 June 2026
  • The report, which was published on the DHS website, also noted that the officer who stabbed the detainee with a pen was disciplined.
    Laura Strickler, NBC news, 3 June 2026
Verb
  • The dynamic has prodded PG&E to ramp up efforts to upgrade and expand its electrical system in the South Bay and elsewhere.
    George Avalos, Mercury News, 14 May 2026
  • Ryan Yates prodded the ball to Dilane Bakwa, who in turn crossed for Taiwo Awoniyi to guide home a header and put them in front.
    Simon Johnson, New York Times, 4 May 2026
Verb
  • Even at the height of his fame, there were dubious aspects of his personal life — often self-seeded to sustain his enigma — that poked hellified holes in his impermeability as an entertainer.
    Rodney Carmichael, NPR, 3 June 2026
  • In the roadside planters, green sprouts poked up.
    Eleanor Nash, Kansas City Star, 3 June 2026
Verb
  • In 2024, Ilacqua said, Perry punched one man and hit another with his cane before ordering his dog to attack both of them.
    James Queally, Los Angeles Times, 2 June 2026
  • The woman who was punched by a former Shelby police officer walked into a local church Tuesday morning with civil rights attorney Ben Crump to applause from full pews.
    Charlotte Observer, Charlotte Observer, 2 June 2026
Verb
  • Anthony provoked and goaded Metcalf, Wirskye said.
    Emerson Clarridge, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 4 June 2026
  • In the ensuing chaos, one of those two young men takes the stage, goaded on by his friend, and soon has the audience dancing to his melodies and words.
    Murtada Elfadl, Variety, 22 May 2026
Verb
  • Steve Guttenberg To many, Steve Guttenberg will always be known as Police Academy’s Carey Mahoney, a rebellious but likable small-time crook who gets nudged into joining the force.
    Skyler Trepel, Entertainment Weekly, 30 May 2026
  • Amazon left its full-year spending outlook at $200 billion and Alphabet nudged up its capex 2026 guidance to $180 billion and $190 billion.
    Matthew J. Belvedere, CNBC, 20 May 2026
Verb
  • The committee’s volunteers knocked on more than 32,000 doors, made more than 50,000 calls and distributed more than 1,200 yard signs, according to Andrew Kim from the Yes on Measure V Davis ground team.
    Daniel Lempres, Sacbee.com, 3 June 2026
  • Arizona State upset Texas in the first game, as Kavan was uncharacteristically knocked around for eight hits and three earned runs across five innings.
    Steven Louis Goldstein, New York Times, 3 June 2026

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Spurred.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/spurred. Accessed 5 Jun. 2026.

More from Merriam-Webster on spurred

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster