MEANING
To reject a person, offer, or approach scornfully.
Use it for
Words that belong together
- spurn an offer
- spurn an admirer
On the page
She spurned the pardon because accepting it would admit guilt.
He spurned their invitation before learning why they had sent it.
Nearby words
Related words
Word forms
- Base
- spurn
- Past tense
- spurned
- Past participle
- spurned
- Present participle
- spurning
Full tense & aspect guide
- Present
- spurn
- Present continuous
- am/is/are spurning
- Present perfect
- have/has spurned
- Present perfect continuous
- have/has been spurning
- Past
- spurned
- Past continuous
- was/were spurning
- Past perfect
- had spurned
- Past perfect continuous
- had been spurning
- Future
- will spurn
- Future continuous
- will be spurning
- Future perfect
- will have spurned
- Future perfect continuous
- will have been spurning
Choose the auxiliary that agrees with your subject. These are constructions of one word, not separate entries.
Usage notes
Primary category: psychological / character. Forms: spurn; spurns; spurned; spurned; spurning Legacy lexical fields mirror sense 1 only. Use numbered sense fields for all meanings. Third-person singular: spurns.
Practice this word in a sentenceYour margin notes
Keep a thought for later. Sign in to save privately.