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
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
Chantz Martin, FOXNews.com, 28 Oct. 2025
Under a ten-year lease, Paramount will occupy more than 285,000 square feet of 1888 Studios’ sprawling production campus in Bayonne, New Jersey.
—Winston Cho, HollywoodReporter, 28 Oct. 2025
Mary Ramsey, Charlotte Observer, 15 Oct. 2025
That means investing in strong public transportation networks, upgrading roads and utilities, and supporting smart city planning that avoids sprawl and traffic gridlock.
—Eleanor Dearman, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 13 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for sprawl
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Verb
Antonio Gates, a member of the 2025 Pro Football Hall of Fame class, categorically denied any connection to the sprawling gambling scandal that sent shockwaves across the NBA and the sports world at larger.
—Chantz Martin, FOXNews.com, 28 Oct. 2025
Under a ten-year lease, Paramount will occupy more than 285,000 square feet of 1888 Studios’ sprawling production campus in Bayonne, New Jersey.
—Winston Cho, HollywoodReporter, 28 Oct. 2025
Noun
Residential growth should emphasize homes that foster stability, community pride and a quieter pace of life, rather than dense, mixed-use sprawl.
—Mary Ramsey, Charlotte Observer, 15 Oct. 2025
That means investing in strong public transportation networks, upgrading roads and utilities, and supporting smart city planning that avoids sprawl and traffic gridlock.
—Eleanor Dearman, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 13 Oct. 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 29 Oct. 2025.
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