spurned; spurning; spurns
1
: to reject with disdain or contempt : scorn
spurned their offer
2
: to tread sharply or heavily upon : trample
1
archaic
: to reject something disdainfully
2
spurner
noun
1
a
: disdainful rejection
b
: contemptuous treatment
2
a
b
obsolete
: stumble
Examples of spurn in a Sentence
Verb
fiercely independent, the elderly couple spurned all offers of financial help
Recent Examples on the Web
Ed Silverman, STAT, 12 Feb. 2026
The darker strands of the young Tennyson’s existence—madness, spurned love, ruinous genes, insolvency—would become the themes of a later poem that Holmes regards as pivotal.
—James Parker, The Atlantic, 10 Feb. 2026
Trump's post calling for new talks Thursday appeared to spurn the extension.
—Chris Boccia, ABC News, 5 Feb. 2026
Kaoru Mitoma also spurned a good opportunity in the opening quarter of the contest, slotting wide of the far post after exchanging passes with Welbeck.
—Andy Naylor, New York Times, 2 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for spurn
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.
Verb
Sanofi is replacing Paul Hudson as chief executive officer, spurning his attempts to bolster the company’s pipeline amid recent clinical setbacks, and replacing him with Belén Garijo, who is the chief executive officer at Merck KGgA, STAT notes.
—Ed Silverman, STAT, 12 Feb. 2026
The darker strands of the young Tennyson’s existence—madness, spurned love, ruinous genes, insolvency—would become the themes of a later poem that Holmes regards as pivotal.
—James Parker, The Atlantic, 10 Feb. 2026
Trump's post calling for new talks Thursday appeared to spurn the extension.
—Chris Boccia, ABC News, 5 Feb. 2026
Kaoru Mitoma also spurned a good opportunity in the opening quarter of the contest, slotting wide of the far post after exchanging passes with Welbeck.
—Andy Naylor, New York Times, 2 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for spurn
Cite this Entry
“Spurn.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/spurn. Accessed 16 Feb. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
