spurred

USAGE SUMMARY

'spurred' is correct and usable in written English.
It is an verb meaning 'to stimulate, motivate or encourage someone to do something'. Example sentence: His teacher's words spurred him to work harder on his schoolwork.

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

The cynicism is also spurred by the belief that "Garden State" has not aged well — or at least, it does not live up to the memory of having seen it for the first time.

The New Yorker

Its success spurred a less artful American film adaptation — "Let Me In," starring Chloë Grace Moretz — and now a stage adaptation, which comes to St. Ann's Warehouse.

The New Yorker

In 1946, Franz Alexander's devotion to this idea spurred a crisis in psychoanalysis, pitting renegade analysts against more orthodox Freudians.

The New Yorker

Fittingly, Maugham's obsession with the greatness of which he believed himself incapable occasionally spurred him to achieve it.

The New Yorker

A huge "@Celtics" is painted onto the court, and with 2 28 left in the first quarter, fans were spurred on by a Paul Pierce tweet from earlier in the week posted on the big screen, in which he had called for the crowd to make some noise.

The New Yorker

There was a special buzz at the most recent meeting: for months, Rand's novel "Atlas Shrugged" — which describes an American economic apocalypse, spurred by socialist-style government intervention — has been on the best-seller lists.

The New Yorker

In the decades after the Civil War, however, government bureaucracy, spurred by the moralists and social scientists of the Progressive movement, began to regulate marriage far more aggressively.

The New Yorker

Jelani Cobb on the "grim recognition" spurred by Ferguson: African-Americans are hemmed in between the dangers of crime and the perils of policing.

The New Yorker

The litigation appears to have spurred other forms of unwanted attention.

The New Yorker

Even though it was the leak that had spurred the program of surveillance, what it amounted to was about as effective a program of spot-checking the private conversations of official Washington as one could put together with a handful of wiretaps, provided that one did not go as far as to tap congressmen or Cabinet members or the chief editors of the news organizations.

The New Yorker

I don't see it quite that way, though there are certainly many aspects of the hit-making machine that we can all rue: usurious contracts, monopoly control of radio programming (which spurred the rise of file sharing, which I still see as a grassroots regrowth of radio).

The New Yorker

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "spurred" to convey a sense of sudden or significant motivation arising from a specific event or influence. Ensure the context clearly identifies what or who did the spurring.

Common error

Avoid using "spurred" passively without clearly indicating what initiated the action. It should be evident who or what caused the impetus.

Linguistic Context

The primary grammatical function of "spurred" is as a verb, typically in the past tense or as a past participle. It describes the action of motivating or encouraging something to happen. Ludwig AI confirms this, showing numerous examples where "spurred" acts as the main verb in a sentence.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

100%

Less common in

Science

0%

Formal & Business

0%

Academia

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "spurred" is a versatile verb signifying motivation or incitement. Ludwig AI analysis indicates that it is grammatically sound and frequently encountered in diverse contexts, notably in news and media. While generally appropriate for formal and neutral registers, understanding the agent causing the "spurring" is key to effective use. Remember, as demonstrated by Ludwig examples, clarity in cause-and-effect relationships is paramount when employing "spurred" in your writing.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

motivated

Focuses more on the internal drive or reason behind the action, rather than external influence.

prompted

Implies a more direct and immediate cause-and-effect relationship.

encouraged

Suggests a more supportive and positive influence.

incited

Indicates a stronger, often negative, instigation.

stimulated

Emphasizes the act of arousing or exciting activity or growth.

catalyzed

Highlights the role of something acting as a catalyst to accelerate a process.

triggered

Implies that something acted as a switch or initiator.

gave rise to

Indicates that something caused or created a new situation or phenomenon.

fostered

Emphasizes nurturing or supporting the growth of something over time.

sparked

Suggests igniting or setting off a chain reaction.

FAQs

How can I use "spurred" in a sentence?

You can use "spurred" to indicate that something encouraged or motivated an action. For instance, "The new evidence "spurred" the investigation."

What is a good alternative to "spurred"?

Alternatives to "spurred" include "motivated", "prompted", or "encouraged", each carrying slightly different nuances.

Is it correct to say "spurred on"?

Yes, "spurred on" is a correct and common usage, often implying additional encouragement or persistence. For example, "The crowd's cheers "spurred them on" to victory."

What is the difference between "spurred" and "deterred"?

"Spurred" means to encourage or motivate, while "deterred" means to discourage or prevent. They are antonyms; for instance, positive feedback "spurred" further efforts, while negative feedback "deterred" them.