spurn 1 of 2

verb

ˈspərn How to pronounce spurn (audio)
Definition of spurnnext
as in to refuse
to show unwillingness to accept, do, engage in, or agree to fiercely independent, the elderly couple spurned all offers of financial help

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

spurn

2 of 2

noun

as in refusal

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Dissimilar Words

Synonym Chooser

How is the word spurn different from other verbs like it?

Some common synonyms of spurn are decline, refuse, reject, and repudiate. While all these words mean "to turn away by not accepting, receiving, or considering," spurn stresses contempt or disdain in rejection or repudiation.

spurned his overtures of friendship

Where would decline be a reasonable alternative to spurn?

In some situations, the words decline and spurn are roughly equivalent. However, decline often implies courteous refusal especially of offers or invitations.

declined his party's nomination

When could refuse be used to replace spurn?

The words refuse and spurn are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, refuse suggests more positiveness or ungraciousness and often implies the denial of something asked for.

refused to lend them the money

When would reject be a good substitute for spurn?

The synonyms reject and spurn are sometimes interchangeable, but reject implies a peremptory refusal by sending away or discarding.

rejected the manuscript as unpublishable

When might repudiate be a better fit than spurn?

The meanings of repudiate and spurn largely overlap; however, repudiate implies a casting off or disowning as untrue, unauthorized, or unworthy of acceptance.

teenagers who repudiate the values of their parents

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 spurn
Noun
His 17 years as the school’s head football coach were among the most successful in school history and he was seen as a Wildcat icon, having spurned interest from bigger schools in order to remain with his alma mater. —Kyle Feldscher, CNN Money, 21 Aug. 2025 Ford canceled one family of EVs, then spurned its traditional engineering structure and staff to develop others. —Mark Phelan, USA Today, 15 Aug. 2025 Shortly after spurning his conjugal love tent vehicle, Colby received a call from Pontiac with a proposition. —EW.com, 13 Aug. 2025 Ford canceled one family of EVs, then spurned its traditional engineering structure and staff to develop others. —Mark Phelan, Freep.com, 10 Aug. 2025 See All Example Sentences for spurn
Recent Examples of Synonyms for spurn
  1. refuse
  2. refusal
  3. reject
  4. rebuff
  5. decline
  6. repudiation
  7. repulse
Verb
  • The search giant has refused to license content from news organizations and publishers, while other AI labs have done licensing deals.
    — Jeremy Kahn, Fortune, 11 Sep. 2025
  • For Jordan, that battle has meant staying grounded in his faith and refusing to let the disease isolate him.
    — Essence, Essence, 11 Sep. 2025
Definition of refuse
Noun
  • This isn’t to say that this refusal is a good thing; many haven’t rejected these aspects of the American Dream by choice.
    — Alice Lassman, Time, 8 Sep. 2025
  • According to de Veer, the refusal of his request to include his extended version of the theme that included the popular motif later in the show was one of the main sources of contention during the making of Season 3.
    — Nellie Andreeva, Deadline, 7 Sep. 2025
Definition of refusal
Verb
  • But Democrats have long conceded that the party needs a new vision after voters soundly rejected their presidential ticket last fall, and internal squabbles about the party’s future have spilled out into the public.
    — Mabinty Quarshie, The Washington Examiner, 11 Sep. 2025
  • China has rejected the accusation and accused the Philippines of damaging the coral reef ecosystem in the waterway instead.
    — Nectar Gan, CNN Money, 11 Sep. 2025
Definition of reject
Noun
  • There was a unilateral rebuff toward the idea that the industry is experiencing a drummer shortage in general.
    — Devon Ivie, Vulture, 3 Sep. 2025
Definition of rebuff
Verb
  • Ross, one of the Democrats to decline AIPAC money, is a relative centrist, according to a GovTrack scorecard, while Foushee and McGarvey, Kentucky’s only House Democrat, are in the middle of the pack ideologically.
    — David Sivak, The Washington Examiner, 12 Sep. 2025
  • That has declined over the years because of budget constraints.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 11 Sep. 2025
Definition of decline
Noun
  • If Helmy finds in the Party the kind of fellowship and outlet for his energies that a good career might otherwise have satisfied, Erich embraces his new identity with a snarling brutality that is a repudiation of his former sense of humiliation.
    — Rebecca Mead, New Yorker, 19 Aug. 2025
  • And to be fair, most of the departures weren’t a repudiation of Amador’s appointment.
    — David Lyman, The Enquirer, 7 Aug. 2025
Definition of repudiation
Noun
  • Larger than life, his creation repulses and torments him, and Victor spends the rest of his life both running from it and trying to destroy it.
    — Ann Kowal Smith, Forbes, 16 Dec. 2024
  • The optical, stop-motion, and puppetry effects alone should make Brain Damage a priority on your watchlist, but Henenlotter’s film excites and repulses on a deeper level.
    — Rory Doherty, Vulture, 19 Sep. 2024
Definition of repulse

Browse Nearby Words

spuriousness
spurn
spurned
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Spurn.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/spurn. Accessed 14 Sep. 2025.

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