sprawled; sprawling; sprawls
1
: to lie or sit with arms and legs spread out
2
: to spread or develop irregularly or without restraint
bushes sprawling along the road
sprawling suburbs
a sprawling narrative
3
a
: to creep or clamber awkwardly
b
archaic
: to lie thrashing or tossing about
: to cause to spread out carelessly or awkwardly
sprawled out her books on the table
1
: an irregularly spread or scattered group or mass
2
3
: the act, posture, or condition of sprawling
Examples of sprawl in a Sentence
Verb
The kids sprawled on the floor to watch TV.
She tripped and went sprawling into the table.
The city sprawls along the coastline.
The bushes were sprawling along the road.
Recent Examples on the Web
Carly Caramanna, Travel + Leisure, 24 July 2025
Marrying modernity with antiquity, every corner of this sprawling hotel is a sensual feast for the eyes.
—Tiffany Leigh, Forbes.com, 23 July 2025
Endia Fontanez, AZCentral.com, 23 July 2025
Parts of far-west Kentucky, including Paducah, are included in an extreme heat warning for July 23, while a heat advisory sprawls into central Kentucky and includes Bowling Green, Hopkinsville, Hartford and Owensboro.
—Killian Baarlaer, Louisville Courier Journal, 22 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for sprawl
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Verb
Guests will then exit into a sprawling Vehicle Showcase displaying the latest innovations from General Motors.
—Carly Caramanna, Travel + Leisure, 24 July 2025
Marrying modernity with antiquity, every corner of this sprawling hotel is a sensual feast for the eyes.
—Tiffany Leigh, Forbes.com, 23 July 2025
Noun
What to expect at Allegra Allegra sprawls over the hotel's entire rooftop space, which includes a laidback bar and a pool with breathtaking views of Camelback Mountain and Papago Park.
—Endia Fontanez, AZCentral.com, 23 July 2025
Parts of far-west Kentucky, including Paducah, are included in an extreme heat warning for July 23, while a heat advisory sprawls into central Kentucky and includes Bowling Green, Hopkinsville, Hartford and Owensboro.
—Killian Baarlaer, Louisville Courier Journal, 22 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for sprawl
Cite this Entry
“Sprawl.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sprawl. Accessed 28 Jul. 2025.
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