spur ideas

USAGE SUMMARY

"spur ideas" is a correct and usable phrase in written English.
You can use it to describe when something has prompted creativity or an increase in ideas. For example: "The professor's lecture on economics seemed to spur ideas for the students."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science & Research

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

6 human-written examples

This is the rare wordbook that can actually spur ideas and conversation and the spontaneous telling of stories.

The New York Times - Books

He would not disclose the identities of those businesses, but some, he said, would offer $50,000 or more for winning ideas, while others expect to give far less and hope that they have enough good will among their customers to spur ideas.

The New York Times - Tech

Company presentations may spur ideas and provide networking resources, even if the company isn't on campus to recruit a person like you.

Science Magazine

In addition to making friends and meeting colleagues, meeting with like-minded peers can stir scientists' creativity and spur ideas that might not have arisen otherwise, Pierse says.

Science Magazine

The diagram you created of the model song will help spur ideas of what your diagram could be.

Huffington Post

Re "Hard Times Spur Ideas for Change" (front page, May 25), about state proposals to address large budget deficits: Talking up the idea of dramatic changes in state and local government budgets, an elected official in Wisconsin is quoted as saying "the public is already there".

The New York Times

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

52 human-written examples

The estate houses original furnishings and art, along with many of the family's personal, including books that spurred ideas that Madison wove into the Constitution of the United States.

Huffington Post

"There will be some economic benefits, but most importantly, when you get so many smart people together in one location under one roof, it will spur good ideas," said Andrew Kohut, the director of the Pew Research Center for the People and the Press, who will become president of the new research center.

The New York Times

This has meant internal restructuring to place scientists with varied backgrounds into small groups to promote interdisciplinary collaboration and spur innovative ideas.

Science Magazine

On its blog, Verily specifies that it will be working with "partners from academia, medicine, science, patient-advocacy, engineering and design," adding: "In the future, the intent is to make de-identified data from the Project Baseline study available to qualified researchers to spur new ideas across the broad ecosystem".

TechCrunch

Indeed, we hope that our work will spur new ideas and experimentation on VCP activity in muscle, which is one of the primary tissues compromised in human patients harboring disease-causing mutations in VCP.

eLife

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When aiming to "spur ideas" within a team, introduce diverse perspectives and experiences to encourage cross-pollination of thoughts.

Common error

Avoid using "spur" interchangeably with verbs that imply a negative or unintended consequence. "Spur" suggests a positive and intentional motivation, so it is important to consider other possibilities.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "spur ideas" functions as a verb phrase. It typically describes the act of motivating or stimulating the creation of new thoughts or concepts. According to Ludwig AI, it's a valid and usable English phrase.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

35%

Science & Research

30%

Wiki

15%

Less common in

Formal & Business

10%

Academia

5%

Science

5%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "spur ideas" is a valid and functional verb phrase used to describe the act of stimulating the creation of new thoughts. Ludwig AI confirms its usability in written English. While not extremely common, its use is appropriate in a variety of contexts, ranging from news articles and scientific publications to more general discussions. The phrase conveys a sense of encouraging innovation and creativity. Related phrases include "stimulate ideas" and "foster ideas", each offering slightly different nuances. Remember to use "spur" intentionally, keeping in mind that it suggests a positive and deliberate effort to encourage new thinking. Ultimately, the intention behind using "spur ideas" is to inspire and promote innovative thought processes.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

Stimulate ideas

Emphasizes the act of making ideas more active or energetic. It's a direct synonym with minor intensity variation.

Generate ideas

Focuses on the creation or production of ideas. It highlights the outcome rather than the initial push.

Foster ideas

Implies providing a nurturing environment for ideas to develop. It emphasizes growth and development.

Encourage ideas

Highlights the act of giving support or confidence to bring forth ideas. It focuses on motivation and endorsement.

Promote ideas

Focuses on advancing or popularizing existing ideas, rather than creating new ones. This alternative is more about propagation.

Cultivate ideas

Suggests careful nurturing and development of ideas over time. It emphasizes a long-term approach.

Incite ideas

Implies provoking a sudden rush of ideas, often in a more forceful or dramatic way. This is a stronger verb.

Trigger ideas

Focuses on the action of initiating ideas, often in a chain reaction. It emphasizes causality.

Spark innovation

Focuses on starting innovation with ideas, with the goal to provide an innovation process rather than ideas themselves. This alternative is more about innovation.

Motivate creativity

Focuses on the emotional encouragement of creativity rather than directly on ideas themselves. This alternative is about motivation.

FAQs

How can I use "spur ideas" in a sentence?

You can use "spur ideas" to describe something that encourages or stimulates the generation of new thoughts. For example, "The workshop aimed to "spur ideas" among the participants."

What are some synonyms for "spur ideas"?

Alternatives to "spur ideas" include "stimulate ideas", "foster ideas", and "encourage ideas". The best choice depends on the specific nuance you want to convey.

Is it better to say "spur innovation" or "spur ideas"?

Both phrases are correct, but they have slightly different meanings. "Spur ideas" refers to encouraging the generation of new concepts, while "spur innovation" implies promoting the implementation of new methods or products. Choose the phrase that best fits your intended meaning.

What does "spur" mean in the context of "spur ideas"?

In the phrase "spur ideas", "spur" means to stimulate, incite, or encourage. It implies a driving force or motivation behind the generation of new ideas.