spurt
Americanverb (used without object)
-
spurts,
present (3rd person singular)
-
spurted,
past participle, past
-
spurting
present participle
verb (used with object)
-
spurts,
present (3rd person singular)
-
spurted,
past participle, past
-
spurting
present participle
noun
-
spurts
plural
-
a sudden, forceful gush or jet.
- Synonyms:
- spout
-
a marked increase of effort for a short period or distance, as in running, rowing, etc.
-
a sudden burst or outburst, as of activity, energy, or feeling.
verb
-
to gush or cause to gush forth in a sudden stream or jet
-
to make a sudden effort
noun
-
a sudden forceful stream or jet
-
a short burst of activity, speed, or energy
Synonym Usage
See flow.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
-
spurtsimple
-
spurtssimple
-
have spurtedperfect
-
has spurtedperfect
-
am spurtingprogressive
-
are spurtingprogressive
-
is spurtingprogressive
-
have been spurtingperfect progressive
-
has been spurtingperfect progressive
Past
-
spurtedsimple
-
had spurtedperfect
-
was spurtingprogressive
-
were spurtingprogressive
-
had been spurtingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of spurt
First recorded in 1560–70; variant of spirt; origin uncertain
Explanation
Things that spurt gush, stream, or flow rapidly. If you laugh too hard while drinking a Coke, soda might spurt out of your nose. Ouch! Spurt is also a noun: "A spurt of water erupted from the hole in the water balloon before she had a chance to throw it." Though a jet of liquid is usually what spurts, the word is also used for quick bursts of speed, like a race car that spurts forward suddenly, winning at the last second. The origin of spurt isn't certain, but it may be related to the German spürzen, "to spit" and sprützen, "to squirt."
Vocabulary lists containing spurt
Excerpt from "The Little Mermaid"
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
Vocabulary from Readings 2, Unit 1
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
Vocabulary from Readings 2, Unit 1
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
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.
See Examples For:
The bottom line is that everyone seems to want to own VIX, as they expect a market downturn and a spurt in volatility.
From MarketWatch ● Sep. 3, 2026
Without the late spurt, Scotland would have pushed England close.
From BBC ● Jun. 20, 2026
In recent years, the buildings around the Metropolitan have struggled to keep retail tenants after a spurt of residential conversions of historic buildings starting in the early 2000s brought commerce to the neighborhood.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 19, 2026
Since 2007, however, European per capita incomes have more or less stagnated while the U.S. has enjoyed another growth spurt.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 30, 2026
The Isengarders began to run with a redoubled pace that astonished Pippin, a terrific spurt it seemed for the end of a race.
From "The Two Towers" by J. R. R. Tolkien
The medication, which was first developed 15 years ago, can result in increased height if administered during growth spurts.
From BBC ● Jul. 17, 2026
As athletes progress through the sport, growth spurts or puberty can interrupt athletic progress, especially during jumps.
From Los Angeles Times ● Feb. 16, 2026
In these environments, black holes experienced brief but intense growth spurts through a process known as 'super Eddington accretion'.
From Science Daily ● Jan. 26, 2026
It requires coaches to bet on teenagers before they have hit their growth spurts and based on rankings assigned by high school scouts.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jan. 8, 2026
My words have come out in halting spurts.
From "The Adoration of Jenna Fox" by Mary E. Pearson
Eyewitnesses described the tanker "swinging around like a compass" as waves crashed over the abandoned ship and black plumes of oil spurted out into the sea.
From BBC ● Feb. 14, 2026
Treasury yields have spurted higher as they catch up with the main interest rate controlled by the Federal Reserve, which is at its highest level since 2001.
From Seattle Times ● Oct. 26, 2023
Thus, the Huns were spurted to shift from herders to raiders.
From Salon ● Dec. 24, 2022
The eruption began at the summit of the mountain, when magma spurted through fissures in the rock and filled the bowl-like caldera.
From New York Times ● Dec. 3, 2022
Brackish water spurted at his hooves, but Taran guided the powerful stallion along what seemed a chain of submerged islands, never stopping even when he reached the far side of the swamp.
From "The Black Cauldron" by Lloyd Alexander
"We saw walls collapsing, the floors opening up. And then water and mud began spurting up from underneath the flooring."
From Barron's ● Jun. 9, 2026
His paintings of erupting fountains, spurting fireworks and splashing bathers make you feel a cool summer breeze in the middle of a packed fair space.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Feb. 27, 2026
Videos shared overnight show glowing red lava spurting from the volcano's peaks as residents get into cars and buses to flee.
From BBC ● Jul. 8, 2025
The ground even opened up, spurting sand out along a zigzagging 100-foot-long stretch of a University of Washington a football field.
From Seattle Times ● Apr. 29, 2024
Down the mud flats small fountains erupted, dozens of them, spurting two feet or more, then again, then lower, then dwindling and stopping.
From "Snow Falling on Cedars: A Novel" by David Guterson
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.
