How to pronounce spurn
Say it like SPURN. Spurn is a single syllable, so the whole word carries the stress.
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce spurn. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- SPURN
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Spurn pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- SPURNSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "ur" in nurse.
American vs British pronunciation of spurn
- Americans pronounce the r after a vowel; most British speakers leave it silent and lengthen the vowel instead.
British respelling: SPURN.
What does spurn mean?
- To reject disdainfully; contemn; scorn.
- To reject something by pushing it away with the foot.
- To waste; fail to make the most of (an opportunity)
- An act of spurning; a scornful rejection.
- A body of coal left to sustain an overhanging mass.
Where does spurn come from?
Cognate with Scots spurn (“to strike, push, kick”), German spornen (“to spur on”), Icelandic sporna, spyrna (“to kick”), Latin spernō (“despise, distain, scorn”).
Similar and opposite words
Similar meaning
Words that rhyme with spurn
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of spurn.
Questions about saying spurn
How do you pronounce spurn?
Say SPURN. The American pronunciation is /spɝn/. In British English it is /spɜːn/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in spurn?
Spurn is a single syllable, so the whole word carries the stress. Broken into parts: SPURN.
Is spurn pronounced differently in British English?
Yes. Americans pronounce the r after a vowel; most British speakers leave it silent and lengthen the vowel instead. The British form is /spɜːn/ (SPURN).