SPLAYS Synonyms: 26 Similar and Opposite Words

splays

verb

present tense third-person singular of splay

as in spreads

to cause to move outward and apart He sat with his legs splayed apart. She splayed her fingers to show off her manicure.

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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.

Recent Examples of splays Rogen splays himself, theatrically broken, on the floor. — Eliana Dockterman, Time, 26 June 2026 Across the boat, a young guy with thin lips and a sweater tied around his shoulders leans back and splays his legs. — Dalton Ross, Entertainment Weekly, 16 Jan. 2026 The Riverwalk in Fort Lauderdale splays out in full shade from the condo buildings and strips of golden sun. — Eric Barton, Sun Sentinel, 4 Jan. 2026 The sneakers feature Altra’s signature FootShape design, which splays at the front to give your toes ample space for natural movement. — Olivia Young, Travel + Leisure, 13 Nov. 2025

Recent Examples of Synonyms for splays

Verb

And when the healthcare system is flawed to its core and disinformation about alternative treatments spreads rapidly online?

— Marissa R. Moss, Rolling Stone, 6 Oct. 2026
Omnivore’s reissue of the first of these, for its 30th anniversary, spreads the original album across three sides with a new remix from Falkner himself, then adds four bonus tracks (a studio outtake song and three four-track demos) for Side 4.

— Chris Willman, Variety, 6 Oct. 2026

Definition of spreads

Verb

After a competition win, Fujino remarks that her dream was to see her manga animated, a comment that temporarily splits the two central characters.

— Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 7 Oct. 2026
Wavecamper Wavecamper completes the driver's side construction with a removable table that splits the slide-adjustable rear seats and swivel front seats and a roof-high rear wardrobe for storage.

— New Atlas, New Atlas, 7 Oct. 2026

Definition of splits

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splaying

splays

spleen

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“Splays.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/splays. Accessed 9 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of splays

verb

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