Used to describe an ongoing action or continuous state that was happening at a specific time in the past.
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
The largest U.S. retailer raised its outlook for the year after a surprisingly strong third quarter, saying higher-income shoppers were spurring market-share gains.
From Seattle Times ● Nov. 16, 2022
Natalia, the owner of a Moscow logistics firm who declined to give her last name because she fears the government, described how sanctions were spurring price hikes.
From Washington Post ● May 26, 2022
In an annual outlook piece on January 1, for example, The New York Times described “fantastic illusions” that were spurring “the most reckless stock market speculation.”
From New York Times ● Sep. 15, 2017
Mikhail Gorbachev’s belated attempts to reform the Communist system were spurring on pro-democracy movements across Eastern Europe.
From Slate ● Apr. 15, 2016
Perion saw that far beneath them a company of retainers in white and purple were spurring up the hill.
From Domnei A Comedy of Woman-Worship by James Branch Cabell
