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Synonyms

on the spur of the moment

Idioms  

  1. Impulsively, without prior preparation, as in He decided to join a tour to England on the spur of the moment. This expression alludes to the goading action of a spur to a horse. [Late 1700s]

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Maybe on the spur of the moment, you buy it for them.

From Seattle Times • Dec. 4, 2023

"I just came up on the spur of the moment," she said.

From BBC • Sep. 18, 2022

“If you send a sporadic message, on the spur of the moment, to patients and get their hopes up, it’s irresponsible no matter how you try to turn it.”

From Washington Post • May 3, 2022

Many years ago, my husband and I decided on the spur of the moment to see a Broadway show.

From New York Times • Dec. 12, 2021

It wasn’t very good, but it was the best I could do on the spur of the moment.

From "Never Let Me Go" by Kazuo Ishiguro

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.