sprawled; sprawling; sprawls
1
: to lie or sit with arms and legs spread out
2
: to spread or develop irregularly or without restraint
bushes sprawling along the road
sprawling suburbs
a sprawling narrative
3
a
: to creep or clamber awkwardly
b
archaic
: to lie thrashing or tossing about
: to cause to spread out carelessly or awkwardly
sprawled out her books on the table
1
: an irregularly spread or scattered group or mass
a sprawl of stores and restaurants
2
3
: the act, posture, or condition of sprawling
Examples of sprawl in a Sentence
Verb
The kids sprawled on the floor to watch TV.
She tripped and went sprawling into the table.
The city sprawls along the coastline.
The bushes were sprawling along the road.
Recent Examples on the Web
Christopher Cann, USA Today, 25 Nov. 2025
De la Fressange posed with guests sprawled on a double bed.
—Joelle Diderich, Footwear News, 25 Nov. 2025
Max Goldbart, Deadline, 24 Nov. 2025
The island nation’s state-of-the-art sprawl testifies to its ascent as a global financial hub, a place for oligarchs to shelter their wealth and speculate.
—Dan Piepenbring, Harpers Magazine, 23 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for sprawl
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Verb
The heist, which prompted sprawling investigations and a leadership shakeup at the museum and drew international headlines, unfolded in only seven minutes.
—Christopher Cann, USA Today, 25 Nov. 2025
De la Fressange posed with guests sprawled on a double bed.
—Joelle Diderich, Footwear News, 25 Nov. 2025
Noun
Set against the backdrop of a prestigious private school, a foreboding forest and the quiet sprawl of Bristol, Gone follows local Headmaster Michael Polly (Morrissey), who becomes the prime suspect in his wife Sarah’s disappearance.
—Max Goldbart, Deadline, 24 Nov. 2025
The island nation’s state-of-the-art sprawl testifies to its ascent as a global financial hub, a place for oligarchs to shelter their wealth and speculate.
—Dan Piepenbring, Harpers Magazine, 23 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for sprawl
Cite this Entry
“Sprawl.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sprawl. Accessed 30 Nov. 2025.
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