1
as in impetus
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 support
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.
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Recent Examples of spur
Jeff Spry, Space.com, 11 Mar. 2025
However, Trump and his top allies have argued the tariffs could spur manufacturing in the U.S., or make products made in the U.S. more competitive.
—Zachary Schermele, USA TODAY, 9 Mar. 2025
Jonathan Lambert, NPR, 31 Dec. 2024
According to the Great Firewall, a program that tracks internet censorship in China, the country began blocking Bluesky ahead of June 4, the anniversary of the Tiananmen Square protests, a common spur for censorship in the country.
—Kevin Collier, NBC News, 22 Dec. 2024
See All Example Sentences for spur
Verb
In a remarkable act of creation spurred on by the space race between America and the Soviet Union, science fiction television shows in the 1960s confidently came of age, emerging from campy low-budget offerings of space commandos amid cardboard sets and sparking rockets to more sophisticated fare.
—Jeff Spry, Space.com, 11 Mar. 2025
However, Trump and his top allies have argued the tariffs could spur manufacturing in the U.S., or make products made in the U.S. more competitive.
—Zachary Schermele, USA TODAY, 9 Mar. 2025
Noun
Technically called a nectar spur, the tube funnels sugary liquid to pollinators who can reach it, and this new species has one that's over a foot long.
—Jonathan Lambert, NPR, 31 Dec. 2024
According to the Great Firewall, a program that tracks internet censorship in China, the country began blocking Bluesky ahead of June 4, the anniversary of the Tiananmen Square protests, a common spur for censorship in the country.
—Kevin Collier, NBC News, 22 Dec. 2024
See All Example Sentences for spur
Recent Examples of Synonyms for spur
Verb
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Listen to this article A 58-year-old man was stabbed in the back of his shoulder and bitten on the top of his head while onboard an L train in Brooklyn, police said Friday.—
Kerry Burke,
New York Daily News,
1 Mar. 2025
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The victim, who has not yet been identified, was stabbed on a sidewalk outside of Wesley United Methodist Church on the edge of the grounds, Charlottesville Police Department spokesperson Kyle Ervin told Fox News Digital.—
Alexandra Koch,
Fox News,
27 Feb. 2025
Noun
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Lagarde, now its executive director, founded the initiative in 2010, but its impetus was New Orleans’ long struggle to rebuild and recover from Hurricane Katrina.—
Chris Boyette,
CNN,
2 Mar. 2025
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How that plays out depends on a number of factors, such as where the conflict starts and what the impetus is, which would shape the way all major actors and allies respond to whatever acts as the spark.—
Dan Perry,
Newsweek,
28 Feb. 2025
Noun
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The Context Russia's invasion of Ukraine last week entered its fourth year, with the U.S. previously providing billions in military and humanitarian support.—
Gordon G. Chang,
Newsweek,
4 Mar. 2025
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Here are some of the best deals available now: Be Windows 11-Ready With a New Inspiron Laptop The days of Windows 10 are almost behind us, with Microsoft ending OS support this year.—
PCMag BrandX and Dell,
PCMAG,
3 Mar. 2025
Verb
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The suspicion that Jacek might be involved in some sort of secret only stokes Greta’s curiosity to dig deeper into the mystery.—
Isabella Wandermurem,
TIME,
5 Mar. 2025
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Support journalism that digs deeper into topics that matter most to Arkansans.—
Grant Lancaster,
arkansasonline.com,
5 Mar. 2025
Noun
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New state and federal incentives will pay the bulk of the cost for the upgrade, making this an even more cost-effective choice.—
Ben Roush,
Baltimore Sun,
9 Mar. 2025
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Working with multiple carriers unlocked access to more incentives, bonuses and rewards.—
David Price,
Forbes,
7 Mar. 2025
Verb
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Offerman also poked fun at himself with quips about his monotone voice and his appearance.—
EW.com,
EW.com,
3 Mar. 2025
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Read more Adrien Brody gives powerful Oscar speech after Best Actor win The worst Super Bowl ads of 2025 Hulu's Oscars gaffe, email error sparks anger During the ceremony, Oscars host Conan O'Brien poked fun at the Dune star's outfit color choice.—
Gordon G. Chang,
Newsweek,
3 Mar. 2025
Noun
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Offer encouragement without over-praising: Determination through trial and error, but finding the right balance between discipline and praise is key.—
Alana Bracken,
Parents,
28 Feb. 2025
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That is, encouragement that’s backed up with specific reasons and rationale.—
Scott Mautz, Contributor,
CNBC,
28 Feb. 2025
Noun
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By the 2010s, deep learning combined with RL gave rise to deep reinforcement learning (DRL).—
Dhivya Nagasubramanian,
Forbes,
4 Mar. 2025
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Training a dog to ride a scooter requires patience, consistency, and positive reinforcement, according to Wag!—
Dan Perry,
Newsweek,
28 Feb. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Spur.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/spur. Accessed 16 Mar. 2025.
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