“Spur of the Moment” Meaning, Origin and Examples

Have you ever heard the term spur of the moment being used in a conversation? If so, you have likely wondered what the phrase means, we are going to find out its meaning as well as taking a look at where the phrase came from in the first instance. We are also going to be looking at some examples of the phrase being used in order to better understand how it functions in conversation.

“Spur of the Moment” Meaning, Origin and Usage

Key Takeaways

  • The phrase “spur of the moment” refers to making a decision or taking action impulsively or without prior planning. It describes a spontaneous reaction to a situation, often characterized by a lack of forethought. The term suggests acting on a whim or a sudden urge rather than careful consideration.
Spur of the Moment
Spur of the Moment – Created by 7ESL

“Spur of the Moment” Meaning

The phrase “spur of the moment” refers to making a decision or taking action spontaneously, without prior planning or forethought. It suggests that something is done impulsively, often in response to an immediate desire or situation.

Examples:

  • “We decided to take a road trip on the spur of the moment.”
  • “Her spur-of-the-moment decision to join the dance class surprised everyone.”

Origin of The Idiom

The phrase likely comes from the term “spur,” which refers to a device used by riders to urge their horses to move quickly. It implies acting on a sudden impulse or urge, much like spurring a horse to quicken its pace. The phrase has been in use since at least the 20th century.

Usage of “Spur of the Moment”

  • In a discussion about spontaneous decisions:

“We booked a weekend getaway on the spur of the moment, not wanting to miss the chance for a mini-vacation.”

  • Talking about impulsive actions:

“He proposed to her on the spur of the moment, and it turned out to be one of the best decisions he ever made.”

  • During a conversation about last-minute plans:

“Our dinner plans changed on the spur of the moment when we decided to try that new restaurant instead.”

  • In a reflection on spontaneity:

“Sometimes the best memories come from things we do on the spur of the moment.”

Related Terms to “Spur of the Moment”

  • Impulsive – acting on a whim or without forethought.
  • Off the cuff – doing something without preparation or planning, often spontaneously.
  • On a whim – making a decision based on a sudden desire or fancy rather than careful consideration.
  • Snap decision – a quick choice made without deliberation.
  • Spontaneous – occurring as a result of a sudden inner impulse or inclination.
  • In the heat of the moment – acting without thinking due to strong emotions or immediate circumstances.
  • Ad-lib – to speak or perform without preparation; improvising.
  • Flying by the seat of your pants – making decisions based on instinct rather than a detailed plan.
  • Whimsy – a playful or fanciful impulse or idea.
  • Last-minute – done or decided at the last possible moment, often without prior planning.

Other Ways to Say The Phrase

There are other ways in which you can say the idiom spur of the moment, here are some examples to show this.

“Spur of the Moment” Examples

Example Sentences

The common idiom spur of the moment can be heard often during spoken English, we are now going to take a look at some examples of its use.

The first is a statement from a text message.

  • I know it’s a little spur of the moment but we are going ice skating it you want to join us?

The next statement is from a news report,

  • The decision to withdraw troops was quite spur of the moment but it appears to have been the right decision, even if it wasn’t well thought out.

Conversation Examples

If you are curious to see how the term spur of the moments can work in a conversation, here are some examples to demonstrate this.

The first is a conversation between two friends.

  • Person 1: “I am so bored with my life at the minute.”
  • Person 2: “I’ve got a good idea, why don’t we go travelling around Asia?”
  • Person 1: “That’s a bit spur of the moment, but I love the idea.”

The next conversation is taking place between a girlfriend and her boyfriend.

  • Person 1: “I really hate to do this but I don’t want to be in this relationship anymore.”
  • Person 2: “This is such a shock, I had no idea you felt this way.”
  • Person 1: “I know it might seem a little spur of the moment but I have thought about it.”

More useful examples:

  • It wasn’t a spur-of-the-moment decision. We discussed it in detail beforehand.
  • We hadn’t planned to go away – it was one of those spur-of-the-moment decisions.
  • Use the following list for spur-of-the-moment adventure seeds involving arcane spell casters.
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