intersperse

verb

in·​ter·​sperse ˌin-tər-ˈspərs How to pronounce intersperse (audio)
interspersed; interspersing

transitive verb

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
interspersion noun

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
These examples are automatically compiled from online sources to illustrate current usage. Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Adding poignancy, the narrative is interspersed with obituaries of some of the patients Shelly could not save, showing them as human beings and not just names on a medical chart. Mary Ann Grossmann, Twin Cities, 10 Nov. 2024 His writing, by turns encouraging and nostalgic, is interspersed with life-drawing sketches and with panels from his graphic novels. The New Yorker, 4 Nov. 2024 This resonates with Oracle’s corporate history: Oracle’s first customer ever was the CIA, and the company’s technology is interspersed across the defense industry. Patrick Moorhead, Forbes, 4 Nov. 2024 There are clips interspersed of social personalities like Joe Budden and Akademiks casting doubt on her claims in the case, plus flashes of posts on social media where some users went so far as to say that Lanez should have finished the job. Steven J. Horowitz, Variety, 31 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for intersperse 

Word History

Etymology

Latin interspersus interspersed, from inter- + sparsus, past participle of spargere to scatter — more at spark

First Known Use

1566, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Time Traveler
The first known use of intersperse was in 1566

Podcast

Dictionary Entries Near intersperse

Cite this Entry

“Intersperse.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/intersperse. Accessed 13 Nov. 2024.

Kids Definition

intersperse

verb
in·​ter·​sperse ˌint-ər-ˈspərs How to pronounce intersperse (audio)
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
interspersion noun

More from Merriam-Webster on intersperse

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

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