spurs 1 of 2

verb

present tense third-person singular of spur
as in stabs
to urge or push forward with or as if with a pointed object gently spurred the horse with his heels

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

spurs

2 of 2

noun

plural of spur
1
as in incentives
something that arouses action or activity the threat of losing its only sports franchise was the spur the city council needed to finally do something about the rising crime rate

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in supports
a structure that holds up or serves as a foundation for something else a weak wall that might need a spur

Synonyms & Similar Words

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 spurs
Verb
But the immune system has sensed that something is wrong, and spurs a more brute force reaction. — Jonathan Lambert, NPR, 2 June 2026 His incarceration doesn't last long, though, because a taunting serial killer spurs a prison break. — Kevin Jacobsen, Entertainment Weekly, 22 May 2026 The per-unit tax abatement program spurs the production of affordable housing without direct public subsidy. — Jeffrey Steele, Forbes.com, 26 May 2026 In that Television Academy interview, Brown spoke of what spurs him to create something new. — Matthew Carey, Deadline, 2 July 2026 Supporters say the law expands options for families and spurs school improvement all around — especially in districts with subpar schools. — Austin Horn, Miami Herald, 23 June 2026 Then Charlotte’s decision to sell their late father’s robotics company—and with it, beings like Cy—spurs Grayson into action, stealing the flash drive with all the company secrets and towing Cy along on his attempt at a corporate takeover. — Literary Hub, 1 June 2026 Badly wounded in a battle of revenge, Robin Hood is brought to a priory and tended by Sister Brigid (Jodie Comer), whose generosity awakens his finer feelings and spurs him to virtuous, self-sacrificing action. — Rachel Syme, New Yorker, 26 June 2026 Team mentality spurs decisions The A’s were sitting at 40-44 heading into Tuesday, three games out of the American League West lead and 2 1/2 games out of the final AL Wild Card spot. — Sean Campbell, Sacbee.com, 1 July 2026
Noun
Columbine is an early-season bloomer with nectar-rich spurs, giving your garden a head start in spring. — Lauren Jarvis-Gibson, Miami Herald, 10 Apr. 2026 Yeezy works into the evening, hacking at jagged spurs of plastic and tapping away with a special brass gunsmith’s hammer. — Jack Crosbie, Rolling Stone, 17 June 2026 Pairing it with columbine, an early-season bloomer with nectar-rich spurs, ensures your garden has food available from the start. — Lauren Jarvis-Gibson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 10 Apr. 2026 Gold and silver metallic tones can also be used to evoke the look of belt buckles, spurs, and other metallic accessories. — Elle Turner, Glamour, 31 May 2026 But aside from gifting Zane with spurs, Beth’s more or less a spectator through all of the Jackson family drama. — Noel Murray, Vulture, 19 June 2026 One exhibit brings together the then-future president’s buckskin jacket and pants, his rifle, Tiffany knife, his spurs, and his branding irons. — Andrew McKean, Outdoor Life, 2 July 2026 Columbine — An early-season bloomer with nectar-rich spurs, perfect for getting hummingbird activity started in spring. — Kansas City Star, 9 Apr. 2026 Spain’s Rif War, where future Spanish dictator Francisco Franco won his spurs, served as a crucible for the values and military tactics of the 1936-39 Spanish Civil War where Franco treated his Republican enemy with the same humanity dealt out to Rif inhabitants. — John Hopewell, Variety, 12 May 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for spurs
  1. stabs
  2. incentives
  3. supports
  4. pokes
  5. encouragements
  6. braces
  7. digs
  8. impetuses
Verb
  • Kara talks her out of it, and when Ruthye walks away, Kara turns back to Krem and stabs him multiple times with a sword.
    — Brian Truitt, USA Today, 27 June 2026
  • On cue, a Frey leaps out and stabs Robb’s pregnant wife Talisa (Oona Chaplin) in the stomach, and a volley of crossbow arrows lay into Robb and his friends.
    — EW Staff, Entertainment Weekly, 25 June 2026
Definition of stabs
Noun
  • Unlike the federal tax credits that expired in September, these incentives offer an instant discount and don’t require buyers to apply for credit later.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 3 July 2026
  • The attack shocked Monaco, a coastal playground for the rich and famous known for its tax-friendly incentives, royal family and Formula 1 Grand Prix.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 3 July 2026
Definition of incentives
Noun
  • The press cabin contains 14 lie-flat pods, including large tan leather seats with luxury features such as lumbar supports and massage functions.
    — Emily Chang, ABC News, 1 July 2026
  • Officers were housed in a one-story structure atop the deck, which also featured antiaircraft guns and a kitchen, while crew quarters were in the concrete supports.
    — Encyclopedia Britannica, Encyclopedia Britannica, 30 June 2026
Definition of supports
Verb
  • The second is a vent which pokes out above your clothes, to move warm air away from you.
    — David Phelan, Forbes.com, 26 June 2026
  • Perched on a finger of land that pokes into Lebanon, Metula is usually crowded with tourists this time of year.
    — Tal Shalev, CNN Money, 23 June 2026
Definition of pokes
Noun
  • All through the park, competitors and onlookers hit vapes and shout tips and encouragements into trees.
    — Calin Van Paris, Outside, 19 Mar. 2026
  • In October 2024 ahead of her own stay at MSG, Billie Eilish recorded encouragements to take the subways for environmental benefits.
    — Hannah Dailey, Billboard, 30 Oct. 2025
Definition of encouragements
Noun
  • After opening with a scoreless draw against Cape Verde, the reigning European champions have scored eight goals in the past three games, with Mikel Oyarzabal notching a pair of braces.
    — Kevin Baxter, Los Angeles Times, 6 July 2026
  • Volunteers are also printing neck braces, IV bag holders, and other medical equipment.
    — Tibisay Zea, Christian Science Monitor, 30 June 2026
Definition of braces
Verb
  • Every day her family digs, breaking through concrete with a jackhammer and their own hands, trying to reach them.
    — Syra Ortiz Blanes, Miami Herald, 30 June 2026
  • As the dredge digs and sends out clouds of sediment, the east wind pushed both sediment and naturally occurring seaweed toward the beach.
    — Bill Kearney, Sun Sentinel, 28 June 2026
Definition of digs
Noun
  • One of the main impetuses for this is that newer planes are flying further, which means airline routes are getting longer.
    — Jessica Puckett, Condé Nast Traveler, 6 June 2025
Definition of impetuses

Browse Nearby Words

spurring
spurs
spurt
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Spurs.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/spurs. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

Copy Citation

More from Merriam-Webster on spurs

Nglish: Translation of spurs for Spanish Speakers

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

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

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

Commonly Misspelled Words

How to Use Em Dashes (—), En Dashes (–) , and Hyphens (-)
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Longest Long Words List

One-Word Oxymorons: Bittersweet, Spendthrift, and More

Ten Words Ending with a Silent ‘T’

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World
See More

Popular

See More

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Longest Long Words List
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
hangman letters and game
Hangman Lightning Round Figure out which word fits in the blanks.
See All