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
Sparingly interspersed among the island narrative are flashbacks to another island, colonized long ago.
—
Ben Travers, IndieWire, 4 May 2026
Drums and synthesizers are interspersed with delicately arranged strings, but there’s something transcendent about the contours and echoes of Raye’s voice.
—Larisha Paul, Rolling Stone, 2 May 2026
Marching bands from local schools and cheerleaders with pom-poms paraded down the street, interspersed with fire trucks and classic American cars.
—Karissa Waddick, USA Today, 30 Apr. 2026
However, myths often have a historical core, and fiction is likely interspersed with some facts—history provided the settings; myth supplied the narrative.
—Gitanjali Roy, Encyclopedia Britannica, 30 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for intersperse
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Ben Travers, IndieWire, 4 May 2026
Drums and synthesizers are interspersed with delicately arranged strings, but there’s something transcendent about the contours and echoes of Raye’s voice.
—Larisha Paul, Rolling Stone, 2 May 2026
Marching bands from local schools and cheerleaders with pom-poms paraded down the street, interspersed with fire trucks and classic American cars.
—Karissa Waddick, USA Today, 30 Apr. 2026
However, myths often have a historical core, and fiction is likely interspersed with some facts—history provided the settings; myth supplied the narrative.
—Gitanjali Roy, Encyclopedia Britannica, 30 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for intersperse
Cite this Entry
“Intersperse.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/intersperse. Accessed 7 May. 2026.
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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