as in stabbing
to urge or push forward with or as if with a pointed object
gently spurred the horse with his heels
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Recent Examples of spurring
Beijing’s talent-friendly move could also give it a boost amid continuing trade tensions and tech rivalries with Washington, which has imposed export controls on chips and other advanced technology that are spurring China to develop its own.
—
Peter Guo, NBC news, 23 Oct. 2025
Norfolk Southern continues to use the rail for freight, but Mooresville’s affordability and proximity to both Charlotte and Lake Norman is spurring big growth.
—Charlotte Observer, 22 Oct. 2025
Last year, in response to Tyler brieflydethroning Taylor Swift on Spotify’s Top Artists — Global chart, Swifties started sharing screenshots of Tyler’s old lyrics, spurring a dayslong conversation around his past misogyny.
—Jeff Ihaza, Rolling Stone, 21 Oct. 2025
Soon after, construction workers began building a massive two-story structure, spurring chatter on social media about what was being built on the empty land.
—Alysa Guffey, IndyStar, 20 Oct. 2025
After Stranger Things season 4 dropped in the summer of 2022, his character officially came out as gay, spurring conversations about his character’s love life and, in turn, Schnapp’s love life.
—Charna Flam, PEOPLE, 17 Oct. 2025
Meanwhile, Beijing forbids any export of gold without a special license, spurring analysts to conclude that the official figure of 2,530 tons held by the People’s Bank of China is farcically low.
—Charlie Campbell, Time, 15 Oct. 2025
Weiss is only in the earliest part of her tenure, but her presence at CBS News is already spurring scrutiny of a news division that hasn’t been seen since NBC News lured Megyn Kelly there from Fox News Channel in 2017.
—Brian Steinberg, Variety, 10 Oct. 2025
This is an extraordinary outcome spurring from an awful act.
—Nicole Russell, USA Today, 9 Oct. 2025
Peter Guo, NBC news, 23 Oct. 2025
Norfolk Southern continues to use the rail for freight, but Mooresville’s affordability and proximity to both Charlotte and Lake Norman is spurring big growth.
—Charlotte Observer, 22 Oct. 2025
Last year, in response to Tyler brieflydethroning Taylor Swift on Spotify’s Top Artists — Global chart, Swifties started sharing screenshots of Tyler’s old lyrics, spurring a dayslong conversation around his past misogyny.
—Jeff Ihaza, Rolling Stone, 21 Oct. 2025
Soon after, construction workers began building a massive two-story structure, spurring chatter on social media about what was being built on the empty land.
—Alysa Guffey, IndyStar, 20 Oct. 2025
After Stranger Things season 4 dropped in the summer of 2022, his character officially came out as gay, spurring conversations about his character’s love life and, in turn, Schnapp’s love life.
—Charna Flam, PEOPLE, 17 Oct. 2025
Meanwhile, Beijing forbids any export of gold without a special license, spurring analysts to conclude that the official figure of 2,530 tons held by the People’s Bank of China is farcically low.
—Charlie Campbell, Time, 15 Oct. 2025
Weiss is only in the earliest part of her tenure, but her presence at CBS News is already spurring scrutiny of a news division that hasn’t been seen since NBC News lured Megyn Kelly there from Fox News Channel in 2017.
—Brian Steinberg, Variety, 10 Oct. 2025
This is an extraordinary outcome spurring from an awful act.
—Nicole Russell, USA Today, 9 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for spurring
Verb
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Usiripalli is accused of stabbing two 17-year-old boys, one in the shoulder area and one in the back of the head, with the same metal fork while on a Lufthansa flight to Frankfurt on Saturday, according to the news release.—
Cindy Von Quednow,
CNN Money,
28 Oct. 2025
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No information on the stabbing party has been released.—
David J. Neal,
Miami Herald,
26 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Or use your finger, poking it about 2 inches into the soil.—
Karen Brewer Grossman,
Southern Living,
24 Oct. 2025
-
Matthew McConaughey is poking fun at himself.—
Saman Shafiq,
USA Today,
24 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Anthropic’s Claude wanted to know whether my headache was tension-related, due to sinus pressure, or something else entirely—hardly a goading question.—
Lila Shroff,
The Atlantic,
22 Sep. 2025
Verb
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As Denji grapples with his growing feelings for her despite his loyalty to Makima, Reze begins prodding him to consider his place in Public Safety, and whether a teenager should really be put in the position of risking his life for the bare minimum of food and shelter.—
Wilson Chapman,
IndieWire,
22 Oct. 2025
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Alex Caruso was the ace in the hole, pestering and prodding Jokic to death in Game 7.—
Bennett Durando,
Denver Post,
10 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Nelson may have guessed correctly on the president digging his heels into tariffs seven years on from his first term, but the taxes may not be around for much longer.—
Sasha Rogelberg,
Fortune,
23 Oct. 2025
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When digging, be careful not to cut through the tubers or bruise the spuds with rough handling.—
Lauren Landers,
Better Homes & Gardens,
20 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Sam Khan spent some time inside the North Texas program for a look at how the Mean Green are punching above their weight.—
The Athletic College Football Staff,
New York Times,
25 Oct. 2025
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The student who Kamo’s son was initially trying to avoid began punching him.—
Silas Allen,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
22 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Instead, the director Scott Cooper’s film turns on Landau recognizing that the tracks reflect Springsteen confronting inner darkness—including his conflicted feelings about his father and his fear of his growing fame—and nudging the musician to realize his need for further help.—
David Sims,
The Atlantic,
23 Oct. 2025
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Ultimately, Grapski said Praia's goal is to continue to improve nudging capabilities to get more engagement and reduce pain points across healthcare.—
Lauren Giella,
MSNBC Newsweek,
21 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Known as knockers in England, kobolds also live in caves and mines and make knocking noises directing human miners where to dig.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
27 Oct. 2025
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Even 6 inches of moving water can pose a serious risk of knocking you off your feet.—
NC Weather Bot,
Charlotte Observer,
26 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Spurring.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/spurring. Accessed 30 Oct. 2025.
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