demur

1 of 2

verb

de·mur di-ˈmər

demurred; demurring

Synonyms of demur next

intransitive verb

: to take exception : object

—often used with to or at

it would seem hazardous to demur to a proposition which is so widely accepted—

Samuel Alexander

law : to file a demurrer

archaic : delay, hesitate

demur

2 of 2

noun

: the act or an instance of objecting : protest

rather than be brought into court he will pay without demur—

G. B. Shaw

: 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 hinges—

Charles 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

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Verb

Asked about the streaming event about those controversies, Bloys demurred. —

Dessi Gomez, Deadline, 20 Nov. 2024 After winning gold in the vault final at the 2024 Paris Olympics, Biles demurred about her L.A. plans. —

Danielle Jennings, People.com, 18 Nov. 2024 Trump has often demurred, calling his opponents the threat. —

Rebecca Beitsch, The Hill, 2 Nov. 2024 Clooney has demurred on the role his op-ed might’ve played in Biden’s decision. —

Hilary Lewis, The Hollywood Reporter, 18 Sep. 2024 See all Example Sentences for demur

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

See more words from the same century

Cite this Entry

Style

“Demur.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/demur. Accessed 30 Nov. 2024.

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Kids Definition

demur

1 of 2 verb

de·mur di-ˈmər

demurred; demurring

: object entry 2 sense 2

demur

2 of 2 noun

: the act of objecting : protest

accepted without demur

Legal Definition

demur

intransitive verb

de·mur di-ˈmər

demurred; demurring

: to interpose a demurrer

demur to the declaration

demurrable adjective

Last Updated: 25 Nov 2024 - Updated example sentences

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demur

verb

noun

Synonyms

Examples of demur in a Sentence

Word History

Dictionary Entries Near demur

Cite this Entry

Kids Definition

Legal Definition