demur

1 of 2

verb

de·​mur di-ˈmər How to pronounce demur (audio)
demurred; demurring

intransitive verb

1
: to take exception : object
often used with to or at
it would seem hazardous to demur to a proposition which is so widely acceptedSamuel Alexander
2
law : to file a demurrer
3
archaic : delay, hesitate

demur

2 of 2

noun

1
: the act or an instance of objecting : protest
rather than be brought into court he will pay without demurG. B. Shaw
2
: hesitation (as in doing or accepting) usually based on doubt of the acceptability of something offered or proposed
after some delay and demur, the door grudgingly turned on its hingesCharles Dickens
Choose the Right Synonym for demur

qualm, scruple, compunction, demur mean a misgiving about what one is doing or going to do.

qualm implies an uneasy fear that one is not following one's conscience or better judgment.

no qualms about plagiarizing

scruple implies doubt of the rightness of an act on grounds of principle.

no scruples against buying stolen goods

compunction implies a spontaneous feeling of responsibility or compassion for a potential victim.

had compunctions about lying

demur implies hesitation caused by objection to an outside suggestion or influence.

accepted her decision without demur

Examples of demur in a Sentence

Verb She suggested that he would win easily, but he demurred, saying he expected the election to be close. don't hesitate to demur to the idea if you have any qualms Noun we accepted his offer to pay for our dinners without demur
Recent Examples on the Web
Verb
Clooney has demurred on the role his op-ed might’ve played in Biden’s decision. Hilary Lewis, The Hollywood Reporter, 18 Sep. 2024 Even Netflix, after years of demurring, acknowledged that with a landmark ten year, $5 billion deal for WWE Raw early this year, its first big sports push. Jill Goldsmith, Deadline, 11 Sep. 2024 Trending on Billboard The friends mostly joked around, with Fallon demurring when Timberlake repeatedly suggested that the host would come out and do a mandatory warm-up set before Justin’s upcoming Barclays Center show in New York on Oct. 7. Gil Kaufman, Billboard, 17 Sep. 2024 Asked about the streaming event about those controversies, Bloys demurred. Tom Tapp, Deadline, 9 Sep. 2024 See all Example Sentences for demur 

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

Word History

Etymology

Verb and Noun

Middle English demuren, demeren to linger, from Anglo-French demurer, demoerer, from Latin demorari, from de- + morari to linger, from mora delay — more at mora

First Known Use

Verb

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 3

Noun

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Time Traveler
The first known use of demur was in the 13th century

Dictionary Entries Near demur

Cite this Entry

“Demur.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/demur. Accessed 31 Oct. 2024.

Kids Definition

demur

1 of 2 verb
de·​mur di-ˈmər How to pronounce demur (audio)
demurred; demurring

demur

2 of 2 noun
: the act of objecting : protest
accepted without demur

Legal Definition

demur

intransitive verb
de·​mur di-ˈmər How to pronounce demur (audio)
demurred; demurring
: to interpose a demurrer
demur to the declaration
demurrable adjective

More from Merriam-Webster on demur

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