intersperse
verb
in·ter·sperse
ˌin-tər-ˈspərs 
interspersed; interspersing
1
: to insert at intervals among other things
interspersing drawings throughout the text
2
: to place something at intervals in or among
intersperse a book with pictures
Did you know?
Intersperse comes from Latin interspersus, a combination of the prefix inter- ("between or among") and sparsus, the past participle of spargere, meaning "to scatter." Sparsus is also the source of sparse.
Examples of intersperse in a Sentence
You should intersperse these pictures evenly throughout the book.
Some seagulls were interspersed among the ducks.
Recent Examples on the Web
Paint the Night is a vibrant, high-energy show that intersperses dance, tech and the requisite amount of evening sparkle.
—
Todd Martens, Los Angeles Times, 17 Apr. 2025
The episode is interspersed with clips of a home game against the Blue Jays in late June, in which the Red Sox mount a late comeback capped by Duran’s walk-off single.
—Jen McCaffrey, New York Times, 7 Apr. 2025
In this hybrid-genre book from indie press Barrelhouse, author Stern writes about her own experiences with complications during labor, and intersperses her story with a fictional tale of a woman who died during childbirth in the Wild West.
—Michael Schaub, Oc Register, 2 Apr. 2025
The kitchen units, divided into different modules and interspersed with the house’s windows, are covered with water-repellent MDF in an olive green.
—María Noval-Quílez, Architectural Digest, 30 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for intersperse
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Todd Martens, Los Angeles Times, 17 Apr. 2025
The episode is interspersed with clips of a home game against the Blue Jays in late June, in which the Red Sox mount a late comeback capped by Duran’s walk-off single.
—Jen McCaffrey, New York Times, 7 Apr. 2025
In this hybrid-genre book from indie press Barrelhouse, author Stern writes about her own experiences with complications during labor, and intersperses her story with a fictional tale of a woman who died during childbirth in the Wild West.
—Michael Schaub, Oc Register, 2 Apr. 2025
The kitchen units, divided into different modules and interspersed with the house’s windows, are covered with water-repellent MDF in an olive green.
—María Noval-Quílez, Architectural Digest, 30 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for intersperse
Cite this Entry
“Intersperse.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/intersperse. Accessed 4 May. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
intersperse
verb
in·ter·sperse
ˌint-ər-ˈspərs
interspersed; interspersing
1
: to set here and there among other things
intersperse pictures in a book
2
: to vary with things inserted here and there
interspersed the photo album with her poetry
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