spread (out)

verb

Definition of spread (out)next
as in to expand
to arrange the parts of (something) over a wider area let's spread the puzzle out on the floor and see what we've got

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for spread (out)
  1. expand
  2. extend
  3. open
  4. unfold
Verb
  • Good Time Charlie has Haddad shifting into a study of many characters at once and expanding in scale.
    — Jackson McHenry, Vulture, 10 Oct. 2026
  • The National Hurricane Center's official forecast is not one specific line, but rather a cone of uncertainty that expands with time, up to five days out.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 9 Oct. 2026
Definition of expand
Verb
  • In a statement later on Saturday, the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Jerusalem mourned Maisa Abu Dawoud and her daughter, Mary, extending condolences to their family.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 4 Oct. 2026
  • Doubts in facilities management Now, CDE employees say their concerns extend beyond bedbugs to how their headquarters are maintained overall.
    — Corey Schmidt, Sacbee.com, 3 Oct. 2026
Definition of extend
Verb
  • Salkar said a medico-legal case had been opened and an autopsy would follow.
    — Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 8 Oct. 2026
  • Democratic divide As Republican donors open their wallets, some of Democrats’ biggest benefactors are missing from the DNC’s donor rolls.
    — Luke Fountain, CNBC, 8 Oct. 2026
Definition of open
Verb
  • Chaos unfolds as 24 celebrities head to a lakeside cabin to compete in a lineup of bonkers challenges.
    — Leo Barraclough, Variety, 5 Oct. 2026
  • On this day in 1960, one of the most shocking and iconic Cold War moments unfolded when Soviet Premier Nikita Khrushchev brandished and banged his shoe at the United Nations.
    — Britannica Editors, Encyclopedia Britannica, 5 Oct. 2026
Definition of unfold
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.

Browse Nearby Words

spreading (out)
spread (out)
spreads
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Spread (out).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/spread%20%28out%29. Accessed 10 Oct. 2026.

Copy Citation
Love words? Need even more definitions?

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

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of Luddite

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

Do You Need a New Language Peeve?

The Exceptions of '-s' and '-es' Plurals

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

The Real Origin of 'Supercalifragilistic'

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

7 Words for Bad Endings and Rough Situations

The Words of the Week - Oct. 9

Even More Bird Names that Sound Like Insults (and Sometimes Are)
See More

Popular

See More

Do You Need a New Language Peeve?

The Real Origin of 'Supercalifragilistic'

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
a cup of tea and a golf ball on tee side by side
Quiz: Sounds Like... Choose the word that sounds like it fits the clue...
See All