spring 1 of 2

spring

2 of 2

verb

Synonym Chooser

How does the verb spring differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of spring are arise, derive, emanate, flow, issue, originate, proceed, rise, and stem. While all these words mean "to come up or out of something into existence," spring implies rapid or sudden emerging.

an idea that springs to mind

How do arise and rise relate to one another, in the sense of spring?

Arise and rise may both convey the fact of coming into existence or notice but rise often stresses gradual growth or ascent.

new questions have arisen
slowly rose to prominence

When is it sensible to use derive instead of spring?

In some situations, the words derive and spring are roughly equivalent. However, derive implies a prior existence in another form.

the holiday derives from an ancient Roman feast

Where would emanate be a reasonable alternative to spring?

While in some cases nearly identical to spring, emanate applies to the coming of something immaterial (such as a thought) from a source.

reports emanating from the capital

How are the words flow and spring related?

Flow adds to spring a suggestion of abundance or ease of inception.

words flowed easily from her pen

When might issue be a better fit than spring?

Although the words issue and spring have much in common, issue suggests emerging from confinement through an outlet.

blood issued from the cut

When would originate be a good substitute for spring?

The meanings of originate and spring largely overlap; however, originate implies a definite source or starting point.

the fire originated in the basement

When could proceed be used to replace spring?

The synonyms proceed and spring are sometimes interchangeable, but proceed stresses place of origin, derivation, parentage, or logical cause.

advice that proceeds from the best of intentions

In what contexts can stem take the place of spring?

While the synonyms stem and spring are close in meaning, stem implies originating by dividing or branching off from something as an outgrowth or subordinate development.

industries stemming from space research

Examples of spring in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
Then, the plan is to move to a brand-new stadium in Las Vegas by spring 2028, NBC News reports. Megan Rose Dickey, Axios, 26 Sep. 2024 With a mere 48 hours to go before the spring 2025 Rabanne show in Paris—amid pressing decisions about last looks and skirt lengths—creative director Julien Dossena squeezed in a conversation with Chloe and Chioma for today’s episode of The Run-Through. Joanna Solotaroff, Vogue, 26 Sep. 2024
Verb
Wallace and Murray allowed about half of the English soldiers to cross unimpeded before springing into action, attacking while their forces held the high ground. Meilan Solly, Smithsonian Magazine, 11 Sep. 2024 Just this summer, NASA called off a spacewalk before the astronauts even left the ISS’s airlock, when Tracy Dyson’s spacesuit sprang a water leak. Marina Koren, The Atlantic, 10 Sep. 2024 See all Example Sentences for spring 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'spring.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Thesaurus Entries Near spring

Cite this Entry

“Spring.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/spring. Accessed 5 Oct. 2024.

More from Merriam-Webster on spring

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!