Examples of splay in a Sentence
Kathleen Felton, Better Homes & Gardens, 20 Nov. 2023
Her bare legs, adorned with distinctive diagonal tattoos, were splayed at unnatural angles.
—Laura King, Los Angeles Times, 30 Oct. 2023
When Vanity Fair celebrated his work in 2014, Mr. Dauman was asked to comment on some of his photos, including his 1970 portrait of the director Federico Fellini, who appears perplexed, his fingers splayed over his forehead.
—Richard Sandomir, New York Times, 6 Oct. 2023
From the dense warrens of old Kolkata to the city’s parks and apartment compounds, the makeshift pavilions, many of them wildly elaborate and colorful, feature handmade idols of the three-eyed goddess Durga, her 10 arms splayed out.
—Suhasini Raj Atul Loke, New York Times, 25 Oct. 2023
This regal option can be made entirely of jewel tones, or even be toned down to jewel accent flowers splayed throughout your arrangement.
—Gia Yetikyel, Vogue, 25 Oct. 2023
With a streamlined design, two spacious drawers, antique bronze hardware, and splayed, tapered legs, this console table is a sophisticated yet useful entryway piece.
—L. Daniela Alvarez, Better Homes & Gardens, 31 July 2023
We’re splayed out on the grass, each of us in front of full-length mirrors, having just conversed, out loud, with our reflections for three minutes.
—Deborah Vankin, Los Angeles Times, 16 Oct. 2023
In this campaign, she’s splayed in front of the historic statue, The Victory of Samothrace, who is a messenger of the win.
—Kerane Marcellus, Essence, 1 Sep. 2023
Maggie Slepian, Travel + Leisure, 16 Oct. 2023
It is shaped like my foot, snugging and securing the heel and arch while relaxing and opening up at the ball to allow for toe splay and flex.
—Jonathan Beverly, Outside Online, 16 Apr. 2020
The forefoot is roomy (for natural toe splay) without feeling sloppy, and the 26-millimeter-thick foam from heel to toe is both soft and responsive, resulting in a notably enjoyable ride.
—Cory Smith, Outside Online, 29 Aug. 2021
Bit’s rural Maryland home, and Mark McCullough’s vivid lighting design, from the cool lapis of the early evening to the prismatic splay of teal, turquoise and rose pink that coyly suggests sunset, are the clearest signifiers of the production’s shifting settings and tones.
—New York Times, 19 Apr. 2022
For those who have wide feet, Altra stands out for its unique toe box design that allows for full toe splay.
—Emma Seymour, Good Housekeeping, 17 Feb. 2023
Merrell designed this pair specifically for women, with our specific toe splay, hip width, and arch propensities in mind.
—Condé Nast Traveler, 15 Apr. 2022
From the looks of the video, multiple vents were erupting from the New Southeast Crater, producing a splay of lava fountains during this intense strombolian eruption.
—Erik Klemetti, Discover Magazine, 3 Dec. 2013
On the one hand, testers appreciated the rather voluminous fit for its comfort and natural toe-splay.
—Cory Smith, Outside Online, 18 Oct. 2022
See More
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'splay.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
Verb
Middle English splaien "to unfurl, spread out, spread-eagle, split (a fish) lengthwise and lay open," aphetic form of displaien "to unfurl (a banner), spread (the arms), display entry 1"
Noun
derivative of splay entry 1
Adjective
derivative of splay entry 1
Verb
15th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1
Noun
circa 1508, in the meaning defined at sense 1
Adjective
1548, in the meaning defined at sense 1
Dictionary Entries Near splay
Cite this Entry
“Splay.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/splay. Accessed 2 Dec. 2023.
Copy Citation
Kids Definition
splay
verb
More from Merriam-Webster on splay
Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for splay
Share