spurn
1 of 2verb
ˈspərn 
spurned; spurning; spurns
transitive verb
1
: to reject with disdain or contempt : scorn
2
: to tread sharply or heavily upon : trample
intransitive verb
1
archaic : to reject something disdainfully
2
obsolete
a
: stumble
b
: kick sense 1a
spurner noun
spurn
2 of 2noun
1
a
: disdainful rejection
b
: contemptuous treatment
2
a
: kick sense 1a
b
obsolete : stumble
Synonyms
Verb
- balk (at)
- decline
- deselect
- disapprove
- negative
- nix
- pass
- pass up
- refuse
- reject
- reprobate
- repudiate
- throw out
- throw over
- turn down
See all Synonyms & Antonyms 
Example Sentences
Verb fiercely independent, the elderly couple spurned all offers of financial help
Recent Examples on the Web
Allison Nicole Smith, Fortune, 26 July 2022 Sixty-two percent of voters—more than 12.2 million—cast ballots to spurn the draft constitution, with 38% voting in favor, the Servel electoral agency reported with nearly all the votes tallied. Juan Forero, WSJ, 5 Sep. 2022 Big-name free agents usually don’t spurn Los Angeles to go to Buffalo. Ben Volin, BostonGlobe.com, 4 Aug. 2022 Moscow's attack led numerous nations to spurn Russian fuel, removing from the market a major source of oil, the main component of diesel fuel, and driving prices drastically up. Arkansas Online, 20 July 2022 Moscow’s attack led numerous nations to spurn Russian fuel, removing from the market a major source of oil, the main component of diesel fuel, and driving prices drastically up. Cathy Bussewitz, Chicago Tribune, 20 July 2022 During each offseason, Greyhounds men’s lacrosse coach Charley Toomey knew his best player would spurn lacrosse workouts to play pick-up basketball every day. Connor Letourneau, San Francisco Chronicle, 11 Aug. 2022 More children than at any time during the pandemic are getting infected because of the high contagiousness of the omicron variant and the millions of Americans who still spurn the vaccine. Globe Staff, BostonGlobe.com, 4 Jan. 2022 Juul also said it had been treated unfairly, noting that it had been singled out by members of Congress who nudged the agency to spurn the company. Christina Jewett, BostonGlobe.com, 6 July 2022 Stephen Means, cleveland, 17 Apr. 2021 See More
Verb
Adjusted earnings per share will fall as much as 13% in the current fiscal year as U.S. shoppers spurn big-ticket items and focus on buying less profitable groceries with consumer prices soaring, Walmart said in a statement Monday. Allison Nicole Smith, Fortune, 26 July 2022 Sixty-two percent of voters—more than 12.2 million—cast ballots to spurn the draft constitution, with 38% voting in favor, the Servel electoral agency reported with nearly all the votes tallied. Juan Forero, WSJ, 5 Sep. 2022 Big-name free agents usually don’t spurn Los Angeles to go to Buffalo. Ben Volin, BostonGlobe.com, 4 Aug. 2022 Moscow's attack led numerous nations to spurn Russian fuel, removing from the market a major source of oil, the main component of diesel fuel, and driving prices drastically up. Arkansas Online, 20 July 2022 Moscow’s attack led numerous nations to spurn Russian fuel, removing from the market a major source of oil, the main component of diesel fuel, and driving prices drastically up. Cathy Bussewitz, Chicago Tribune, 20 July 2022 During each offseason, Greyhounds men’s lacrosse coach Charley Toomey knew his best player would spurn lacrosse workouts to play pick-up basketball every day. Connor Letourneau, San Francisco Chronicle, 11 Aug. 2022 More children than at any time during the pandemic are getting infected because of the high contagiousness of the omicron variant and the millions of Americans who still spurn the vaccine. Globe Staff, BostonGlobe.com, 4 Jan. 2022 Juul also said it had been treated unfairly, noting that it had been singled out by members of Congress who nudged the agency to spurn the company. Christina Jewett, BostonGlobe.com, 6 July 2022 Noun
Lessons from watching JC Latham spurn Columbus in favor of Tuscaloosa seemed more appropriate as time went on. Stephen Means, cleveland, 17 Apr. 2021 See More Word History
Etymology
Verb
Middle English, from Old English spurnan; akin to Old High German spurnan to kick, Latin spernere to spurn, Greek spairein to quiver
First Known Use
Verb
before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 2a
Noun
14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 2a
Kids Definition
spurn
verb
ˈspərn
spurned; spurning
: to reject with scorn
He spurned the offer.
spurning
verb
as in rejecting
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
Relevance
- rejecting
- refusing
- declining
- ignoring
- denying
- avoiding
- passing
- dismissing
- denying
- withdrawing
- repudiating
- disapproving
- vetoing
- nixing
- forbidding
- disputing
- disdaining
- rebuffing
- reprobating
- scorning
- turning down
- throwing over
- disputing
- deselecting
- passing up
- negativing
- overruling
- throwing out
- prohibiting
- renouncing
- scouting
- proscribing
- forswearing
- disavowing
- retracting
- balking (at)
- abjuring
- turning one's back on
- bypassing
- revoking
- forbearing
- sticking
- disowning
- contradicting
- disclaiming
- negating
- refuting
- recalling
- recanting
- blowing off
- reneging
- gainsaying
- shooting down
- disproving
- foreswearing
- detouring
- rebutting
- controverting
- disallowing
- taking back
- backtracking
- unsaying
- backing down
- backing off
- abstaining (from)
- refraining (from)
- disagreeing (with)
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- accepting
- approving
- receiving
- embracing
- taking
- adopting
- tolerating
- swallowing
- agreeing (to)
- welcoming
- countenancing
- acceding
- agreeing
- condoning
- assenting
- acquiescing
- consenting
- selecting
- choosing
- supporting
- espousing
- handpicking