sprawl

1 of 2

verb

ˈsprȯl 

sprawled; sprawling; sprawls

intransitive verb

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

transitive verb

: to cause to spread out carelessly or awkwardly

sprawled out her books on the table

sprawl

2 of 2

noun

1

: an irregularly spread or scattered group or mass

a sprawl of stores and restaurants

2

: urban sprawl

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

Verb

Over the next two decades, the series grew into a sprawling franchise that included prequels, Wolverine spinoffs, the Deadpool films and acclaimed standalone entries such as Logan. — Lily Brown, PEOPLE, 26 July 2026

Brown-Forman’s controlling shareholders are a sprawling clan with nearly 150 family members scattered around the world. — Rohan Goswami, semafor.com, 26 July 2026

Noun

The back is quite low, so not ideal for those who prefer a lean-back lounge or a sprawl-out situation. — Kate McGregor, Architectural Digest, 23 July 2026

The spiderweb sprawl of a three-team trade often starts from a kernel of interest, like the Athletics kicking the tires on Ruiz. — Stephen J. Nesbitt, New York Times, 23 July 2026

Word History

Etymology

Verb

Middle English, from Old English sprēawlian

First Known Use

Verb

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 3b

Noun

1598, in the meaning defined at sense 3

Phrases Containing sprawl

• urban sprawl

Rhymes for sprawl

• ahl
• all
• aul
• bawl
• brawl
• call
• caul
• crawl
• dol
• doll
• drawl
• fall

Kids Definition

sprawl

verb

ˈsprȯl

1

: to lie or sit with arms and legs spread out

sprawled on the couch watching TV

2

: to spread out in an uneven or awkward way

a sprawling city

sprawl noun