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

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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

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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
Utility costs are climbing nationwide as demand surges to feed energy-hungry data centers, and climate change spurs costly upgrades. — Natasha Chen, CNN Money, 3 Aug. 2026 More workers filling jobs and spending money spurs economic expansion, creating more jobs. — Jessica Guynn, USA Today, 30 July 2026 The solar eclipse in Leo on August 12 spurs new account activity and perhaps even cosigns an important transaction. — Steph Koyfman, Condé Nast Traveler, 29 July 2026 That spurs memories of last year’s camp, when finger and knee issues set him back as a rookie. — Cam Inman, Mercury News, 29 July 2026 That’s 70% of all VC funding, which spurs immediate business activity that could produce the next corporate giant or two. — Jonathan Lansner, Oc Register, 17 July 2026 Christensen hopes artists engaging with the river spurs conversation for more equitable green investments that benefit communities and the environment. — Jireh Deng, Los Angeles Times, 13 July 2026 The earliest version, from 1624 and now owned by the Museu de Arte de São Paulo, adds a key and gold spurs to his garb to signify his offices. — Maximilíano Durón, ARTnews.com, 6 July 2026 In that Television Academy interview, Brown spoke of what spurs him to create something new. — Matthew Carey, Deadline, 2 July 2026
Noun
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 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 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 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 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 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 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 Columbine — An early-season bloomer with nectar-rich spurs, perfect for getting hummingbird activity started in spring. — Kansas City Star, 9 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for spurs
  1. stabs
  2. incentives
  3. supports
  4. pokes
  5. encouragements
  6. braces
  7. digs
  8. impetuses
Verb
  • In the heat of the moment, Voit’s daughter comes to his rescue and fatally stabs Crowley.
    — Caroline Blair, PEOPLE, 24 July 2026
  • In the first five minutes, her Judith stabs a man at a party, escapes on skis and celebrates a job well done by bedding a besotted hottie.
    — Angie Han, HollywoodReporter, 14 July 2026
Definition of stabs
Noun
  • However, domestic flights remain limited, expensive and unpredictable, while ferry services are irregular and the maritime sector struggles with aging fleets and weak incentives to improve.
    — Emese Maczko, Forbes.com, 1 Aug. 2026
  • As far as the actual economic incentives, the cost of living is much lower over there.
    — Matt Minton, Variety, 31 July 2026
Definition of incentives
Noun
  • Concave center Some pillows have an inward-curving center that has wide side supports.
    — BestReviews, Mercury News, 31 July 2026
  • In that setting, visibility supports decision-making, and decision-making supports resilience.
    — Kannan Kothandaraman, Forbes.com, 31 July 2026
Definition of supports
Verb
  • As Hogi pokes a hole in this plot and shatters the industrial love complex we’ve been sold song after song, movie after movie, the workplace version of this unhealthy relationship presents a familiar parallel.
    — Dr. Marcus Collins, Forbes.com, 17 July 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
  • Many folks send encouragements toward OP mom and her son, while others put heat on the other parents for sexualizing their kids’ friendship.
    — DeVonne Goode, Parents, 26 July 2026
  • All through the park, competitors and onlookers hit vapes and shout tips and encouragements into trees.
    — Calin Van Paris, Outside, 19 Mar. 2026
Definition of encouragements
Noun
  • After a long stretch of appointments, physical therapy, braces and uncertainty, Cassady was diagnosed with psoriatic arthritis in April 2025.
    — Emily Cegielski, Flow Space, 29 July 2026
  • The magnesium ions acted like microscopic braces inside the manganese oxide.
    — Rupendra Brahambhatt, Interesting Engineering, 25 July 2026
Definition of braces
Verb
  • Historian Jerry Brotton digs deep, explaining why each map was created and who its audience was.
    — Catherine Garcia, TheWeek, 28 July 2026
  • The female digs a 6- to 10-inch-deep burrow in the ground that is ½-inch wide.
    — Tim Johnson, Chicago Tribune, 26 July 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
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Cite this Entry

“Spurs.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/spurs. Accessed 4 Aug. 2026.

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Nglish: Translation of spurs for Spanish Speakers

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