SPUR Synonyms: 84 Similar and Opposite Words

Q: How does the noun 'spur' contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of spur are goad , impulse , incentive , inducement , and motive . While all these words mean "a stimulus to action," spur applies to a motive that stimulates the faculties or increases energy or ardor. // fear was a spur to action

Q: In what contexts can 'goad' take the place of 'spur'?

While the synonyms goad and spur are close in meaning, goad suggests a motive that keeps one going against one's will or desire. // thought insecurity a goad to worker efficiency

Q: When might 'impulse' be a better fit than 'spur'?

The meanings of impulse and spur largely overlap; however, impulse suggests a driving power arising from personal temperament or constitution. // buying on impulse

Q: When could 'incentive' be used to replace 'spur'?

Although the words incentive and spur have much in common, incentive applies to an external influence (such as an expected reward) inciting to action. // a bonus was offered as an incentive

Q: When can 'inducement' be used instead of 'spur'?

While in some cases nearly identical to spur , inducement suggests a motive prompted by the deliberate enticements or allurements of another. // offered a watch as an inducement to subscribe

Q: Where would 'motive' be a reasonable alternative to 'spur'?

The words motive and spur can be used in similar contexts, but motive implies an emotion or desire operating on the will and causing it to act. // a motive for the crime

spur 1 of 2

verb

Definition of spur

as in to stab

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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spur

2 of 2

noun

ˈspər

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

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

Synonym Chooser

How does the noun spur contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of spur are goad, impulse, incentive, inducement, and motive. While all these words mean "a stimulus to action," spur applies to a motive that stimulates the faculties or increases energy or ardor.

fear was a spur to action

In what contexts can goad take the place of spur?

While the synonyms goad and spur are close in meaning, goad suggests a motive that keeps one going against one's will or desire.

thought insecurity a goad to worker efficiency

When might impulse be a better fit than spur?

The meanings of impulse and spur largely overlap; however, impulse suggests a driving power arising from personal temperament or constitution.

buying on impulse

When could incentive be used to replace spur?

Although the words incentive and spur have much in common, incentive applies to an external influence (such as an expected reward) inciting to action.

a bonus was offered as an incentive

When can inducement be used instead of spur?

While in some cases nearly identical to spur, inducement suggests a motive prompted by the deliberate enticements or allurements of another.

offered a watch as an inducement to subscribe

Where would motive be a reasonable alternative to spur?

The words motive and spur can be used in similar contexts, but motive implies an emotion or desire operating on the will and causing it to act.

a motive for the crime

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 spur

Verb

Countries that were particularly reliant on Persian Gulf oil have been spurred to action. — ABC News, 30 Aug. 2026 The Bush and Obama administrations were heavily criticized by Republicans for the bailout, spurring on the nascent Tea Party movement with complaints of government overreach into the free market. — Norah Rami, Fortune, 29 Aug. 2026

Noun

The couple, who were introduced on a blind date, were together for two years before making a spur of the moment decision to walk down the aisle in 1954. — Alex Gurley, PEOPLE, 25 June 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 See All Example Sentences for spur

Recent Examples of Synonyms for spur

Verb

She had been beaten and stabbed inside her home, and her body was then placed in the trunk of her car.

— Brett Barrouquere, Arkansas Online, 30 Aug. 2026
The 33-year-old man accused of killing his mother in their family’s apartment had stabbed his parent repeatedly in the face and chest, Bronx prosecutors said Friday.

— Thomas Tracy, New York Daily News, 28 Aug. 2026

Definition of stab

Noun

The impetus was Steven Spielberg’s Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom, which contains gory scenes that are definitely too intense for young kids but more appropriate for teens, and thus, the PG-13 rating was born.

— Kara Nesvig, Parents, 29 Aug. 2026
The maintenance needed on the 368,000 miles of roads in America’s national forests was one impetus for the Roadless Rule in 2001.

— Patrick Parenteau, The Conversation, 26 Aug. 2026

Definition of impetus

Noun

Yet, earlier this month, I, my fellow editors and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration personnel were informed that support for the Arctic Report Card — our flagship annual report since 2006 — is canceled.

— Twila Moon, Washington Post, 31 Aug. 2026
Demographic experts are cautiously optimistic about the new scheme, which appears to offer more sustained and holistic support for families.

— Angelica Ang, Fortune, 30 Aug. 2026

Definition of support

Verb

The outfit just hit Amazon, and shoppers are already digging it.

— Annie Blackman, InStyle, 29 Aug. 2026
Riaz Lodhi, country director for the World Food Programme in Nepal, said rescue workers are trying to dig people out of the mud and that the Nepalese government is deploying helicopters to help.

— Diaa Hadid, NPR, 27 Aug. 2026

Definition of dig

Noun

Investors are also betting on a future DeepSeek listing in the mainland, said Wayne Shiong, managing partner at Argo Venture Partners, as the startup risks an exodus of senior engineers without financial incentives to stay.

— Anniek Bao,Elaine Yu, CNBC, 28 Aug. 2026
Instead, the law provides the city with an incentive to dangle before the team.

— Bill Shaikin, Los Angeles Times, 28 Aug. 2026

Definition of incentive

Noun

The approach uses adversarial inverse reinforcement learning (AIRL) to learn walking strategies from stick insects.

— Jijo Malayil, Interesting Engineering, 28 Aug. 2026
Two police unions, the Sindicato Unificado de Policia and Confederacion Espanola de Policia, requested extensive reinforcements from the mainland.

— Brady Knox, The Washington Examiner, 28 Aug. 2026

Definition of reinforcement

Verb

Adults’s Gen-Z characters tend to see their comforts as transient, their identities as mutable, and seriousness as an annoying obligation, all of which the second season pokes at a bit.

— Jackson McHenry, Vulture, 27 Aug. 2026
Most of what’s actionable comes from the signal that might be poking through.

— Ben Gretch, New York Times, 25 Aug. 2026

Definition of poke

Noun

Angela recalled him providing clothing, shoes and money to people experiencing homelessness, along with the words of encouragement that came naturally to him.

— Kansas City Star, Kansas City Star, 28 Aug. 2026
As captured by a parent, a note that Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library sent to its graduates includes kind words and encouragement from the star.

— Raechal Shewfelt, Entertainment Weekly, 27 Aug. 2026

Definition of encouragement

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spunky

spur

spurious

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“Spur.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/spur. Accessed 2 Sep. 2026.

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noun

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Synonyms of spur

verb

noun

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Phrases Containing spur

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More from Merriam-Webster

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