manspreading

noun

man·​spread·​ing ˈman-ˌspre-diŋ How to pronounce manspreading (audio)
: the act or practice by a man of sitting with the legs spread wide apart (as in a public seating area) in a way that intrudes on the space of others
Taking on manspreading for the first time, the authority is set to unveil public service ads that encourage men to share a little less of themselves in the city's ever-crowded subway cars.Emma G. Fitzsimmons
manspread intransitive verb
manspread; manspreading
Same for knocking knees with our seatmate the entire flight. We don't have to manspread. And we don't even know we're doing it. Dave Bergman
manspreader noun
plural manspreaders
My own preferred technique with manspreaders is to sit down next to them and take up the amount of space that my body requires. Once another person's thigh is firmly pressed against their own, manspreaders … contract. Robin Abrahams

Word History

First Known Use

2014, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of manspreading was in 2014

Dictionary Entries Near manspreading

Cite this Entry

“Manspreading.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/manspreading. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

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