spread out
phrasal verb
spread out; spreading out; spreads out
1
: to open, arrange, or place (something) over a large area
He spread out the map on the table.
He spread the cards out on the table.
The cards were spread out across the table.
2
: to be open, arranged, or extended over a large area
The city is spread out over a wide area.
3
: to move (parts of the body) outward or away from each other
Spread your arms out.
There's no room on the couch to spread yourself out.
4
: to divide up (something) over a period of time or among members of a group
They spread the work out among the committee members.
The course is spread out over two semesters.
5
: to move apart from the other members of a group especially to search an area
The police spread out to search the area faster.
Examples of spread out in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Yessenia longs to have her own kitchen again, and space for everyone to spread out.
—
Sophie Carson, jsonline.com, 3 Dec. 2025
Long, wide, and breezy, Campeche offers plenty of space to spread out.
—Carla Vianna, Travel + Leisure, 29 Nov. 2025
However, a Bloomberg Economics analysis found that the figure is far more modest, that most of the investments are spread out over several years, that many are mutual trade commitments rather than direct monetary payments, and that most will not go directly to the federal government's coffers.
—Hugh Cameron, MSNBC Newsweek, 28 Nov. 2025
The deal will take him through his age-36 season, which is probably more like a five-year deal that’s spread out to minimize the luxury tax hit, given how volatile pitchers’ long-term outlooks are for health and effectiveness.
—Keith Law, New York Times, 27 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for spread out
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Sophie Carson, jsonline.com, 3 Dec. 2025
Long, wide, and breezy, Campeche offers plenty of space to spread out.
—Carla Vianna, Travel + Leisure, 29 Nov. 2025
However, a Bloomberg Economics analysis found that the figure is far more modest, that most of the investments are spread out over several years, that many are mutual trade commitments rather than direct monetary payments, and that most will not go directly to the federal government's coffers.
—Hugh Cameron, MSNBC Newsweek, 28 Nov. 2025
The deal will take him through his age-36 season, which is probably more like a five-year deal that’s spread out to minimize the luxury tax hit, given how volatile pitchers’ long-term outlooks are for health and effectiveness.
—Keith Law, New York Times, 27 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for spread out
Cite this Entry
“Spread out.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/spread%20out. Accessed 6 Dec. 2025.
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