SYNONYMS AND RELATED EXPRESSIONS
spurn
verb
To reject or refuse someone or something with contempt.
Local English device voice, when available. This is not a recorded dictionary pronunciation.
Reject contemptuously
Closest synonyms
Related words and expressions
These extend or explain the idea and may require a different sentence structure.
Usage distinction
Return to topSpurn carries contempt or a decisive rejection. Turn down can be a polite refusal, while snub often concerns a person or social overture.
CHECK THE MEANING IN CONTEXT
See spurn in use
The writer would not spurn useful criticism simply because it came from a beginner.
The tenant's attempt to spurn a second offer of help includes a sneer that the neighbor's spare lamp is beneath his taste.
Compare an alternative with the original word in each passage. Shared meanings do not make every pair interchangeable.
Synonym reference scope and sources
The groups distinguish the senses selected for this study entry. Closest synonyms and broader related expressions have separate labels. The listed sources support lexical selection; not every phrase is a direct quotation from a source.
How the synonym reference was prepared / WordNet 3.0 license