spurring

verb

present participle of spur
as in stabbing
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 spurring But that effort has moved slowly in the months since, spurring frustration among some White House and health officials that HHS doesn’t yet have any significant progress for the administration to tout, two administration officials said. — Adam Cancryn, CNN Money, 7 Aug. 2026 What seemed like a low barrier for starting a company and finding investors — spurring viral storylines around 19-year-old blockchain CEOs and other such novelties — has given way to a high sense of precarity for people entering today’s arena. — Alexander Onukwue, semafor.com, 5 Aug. 2026 By spurring a shift in his thought process, the artist began to approach music differently. — Chris Barilla, PEOPLE, 31 July 2026 The law was Walker’s signature legislative achievement, catapulting him onto the national political stage and spurring an unsuccessful attempt to recall him from office. — ABC News, 29 July 2026 The merger could help lower processing fees, spurring more merchants and consumers to use online payment services. — Queenie Wong, Los Angeles Times, 29 July 2026 The law was Walker's signature legislative achievement, catapulting him onto the national political stage and spurring an unsuccessful attempt to recall him from office. — CBS News, 29 July 2026 Tate attempted to rectify funding issues through staff cuts, sending staff morale plummeting and spurring a strike. — News Desk, Artforum, 22 July 2026 But many haven’t followed through on it, spurring criticism from one of the Giving Pledge’s founders, Melinda French Gates. — Sydney Lake, Fortune, 22 July 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for spurring
  1. stabbing
  2. poking
  3. goading
  4. prodding
  5. digging
  6. punching
  7. nudging
  8. knocking
Verb
  • Martinez Police Department A suspect accused of fatally stabbing a man outside a California residence during a burglary a day after being released from custody has been charged with murder, officials said.
    — Meredith Deliso, ABC News, 13 Aug. 2026
  • Jurors heard a harrowing voicemail left by Johnson begging one of her friends for help as Williams butchered her, stabbing her five times in the chest and four times in her back.
    — John Annese, New York Daily News, 12 Aug. 2026
Definition of stabbing
Verb
  • Carrington has previously garnered controversy for poking Cunningham's teammate Caitlin Clark in the eye during the 2024 playoffs, and making controversial statements in the media.
    — Jackson Thompson , Matt Reigle OutKick, FOXNews.com, 8 Aug. 2026
  • At first glance, corals present as little more than colorful rocks — piles of lobes, stalagmites, and branches poking out from the seafloor.
    — Marlowe Starling, Quanta Magazine, 5 Aug. 2026
Definition of poking
Verb
  • His Dahl is constantly goading people, driving them right up to the edge of their tolerance.
    — Sara Holdren, Vulture, 24 Mar. 2026
  • So, does Roan deserve all the credit for softening the nature of these carpets, where dozens of photographers gather to scream goading or even offensive remarks at talent just to get their attention?
    — Rebecca Ford, Vanity Fair, 12 Mar. 2026
Definition of goading
Verb
  • The White House also couldn’t resist prodding Swift when the singer married Travis Kelce at Madison Square Garden, unleashing a series of memes on the day of the wedding in July.
    — Daniel Kreps, Rolling Stone, 8 Aug. 2026
  • While a prodding journalist like me might try to get the chatbots to veer off course, the ordinary user probably won’t notice a difference.
    — J.D. Capelouto, semafor.com, 7 Aug. 2026
Definition of prodding
Verb
  • Photos from the 2026 digDiane Scherer-Morris Mid-February 2026, authorities broke ground and began digging.
    — Dateline NBC, NBC news, 13 Aug. 2026
  • Hannah and Nicky have wheeled around and around, digging and digging into the ground.
    — Charley Ward, Condé Nast Traveler, 12 Aug. 2026
Definition of digging
Verb
  • Background on the case On May 30, Shelby Police Officer Karson Hyder was captured repeatedly punching 34-year-old Cherie Moore during an arrest.
    — Zaire Breedlove, Charlotte Observer, 30 July 2026
  • Salgado is accused of approaching the man, taunting him to start a fight and punching him in the face, police said.
    — Sofia Saric, Miami Herald, 29 July 2026
Definition of punching
Verb
  • Suddenly, listings could reach far beyond the local neighborhood, nudging open the door to what had long been a niche corner of second-hand shopping.
    — Zoey Goto, Architectural Digest, 7 Aug. 2026
  • The instruments and rhythms dance with Lenae’s sinuous vocals, nudging her into odd pockets, uplifting her notes.
    — Stephen Kearse, Pitchfork, 7 Aug. 2026
Definition of nudging
Verb
  • Every follow, every comment, every DM is someone knocking on the door.
    — Olivia Shalhoup, Forbes.com, 10 Aug. 2026
  • Elarms-Orr didn’t think Kincaid was down and laid a sizable hit on the tight end, knocking him to the ground again.
    — Joe Buscaglia, New York Times, 4 Aug. 2026
Definition of knocking

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Cite this Entry

“Spurring.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/spurring. Accessed 14 Aug. 2026.

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Nglish: Translation of spurring for Spanish Speakers

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