spray

1 of 3

noun (1)

1
: a usually flowering branch or shoot
2
: a decorative flat arrangement of flowers and foliage (as on a coffin)
3
: something (such as a jeweled pin) resembling a spray

spray

2 of 3

noun (2)

1
: water flying in small drops or particles blown from waves or thrown up by a waterfall
2
a
: a jet of vapor or finely divided liquid
disinfectant sprays
b
: a device (such as an atomizer or sprayer) by which a spray is dispersed or applied
c(1)
: an application of a spray or by spraying
(2)
: a substance (such as paint) so applied

spray

3 of 3

verb

sprayed; spraying; sprays

transitive verb

1
: to project spray or something resembling spray on or into
spray the table
spraying the wall with bullets
2
: to disperse or apply as a spray
sprayed some perfume

intransitive verb

1
: to break up into spray
2
: to disperse or apply a spray
3
: to emit a stream or spray of urine
a cat may spray to mark its territory
sprayer noun

Examples of spray in a Sentence

Verb She sprayed herself with perfume. The crops are sprayed monthly. We were sprayed by water from the crashing waves. The boys sprayed graffiti on the wall. He sprayed the paint evenly over the surface. She sprayed some perfume into the air. The soda sprayed from the bottle. The blood sprayed onto the wall. They sprayed the crowd with bullets.
Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
Other aerosol products, including sunscreen sprays and spray deodorants, as well as non-aerosol hand sanitizers, have also come under industry scrutiny for possible benzene contamination. Kara Nesvig, Allure, 8 Mar. 2024 The fragrance is available in 30-, 50- and 100-milliliter refillable bottles; refills; and travel-sized pen sprays. Ayesha Rajan, The Hollywood Reporter, 7 Mar. 2024 Scott Mowbray and Anne Taylor Pittman’s Garlic and Herb Turkey Meatballs Cooking spray 2 oz. Sabrina Weiss, Peoplemag, 5 Mar. 2024 Both Saratoga and Los Gatos high schools already keep a supply of the nasal spray on campus. Isha Trivedi, The Mercury News, 5 Mar. 2024 Find a small tray that fits the length and width of your toilet tank, then use it to hold a candle, room spray, or extra toilet paper for a quick restock. Mary Cornetta, Better Homes & Gardens, 4 Mar. 2024 Tips for Choosing the Right Self Tanner Application Type There are several types of self tanner, including mousse, spray, lotion, liquid drops, and towelettes. Addie Morton, Southern Living, 4 Mar. 2024 Adwoa Beauty’s milky spray is like an essence for scalp and strands, silky, nourishing, and easily spritzed on cornrows between wefts. Kiana Murden, Vogue, 1 Mar. 2024 This translucent finishing spray delivers texture and volume instantly. Celia Shatzman, Forbes, 26 Feb. 2024
Verb
These items include air fryers, rice cakes, sunflower and pumpkin seeds, as well as spray oils, which can be dispensed more sparingly and some of which contain less fat than regular cooking oils. Hanna Ziady, CNN, 11 Mar. 2024 Impact sprinklers are another type of rotating sprinkler and are usually great at spraying at a higher pressure. Kat De Naoum, Better Homes & Gardens, 11 Mar. 2024 In places including Mexico, the Andes and Iberia, ancient inhabitants sprayed the pigment on graves and corpses, which rendered them stunning red and slowed the bodies’ decomposition. Bridget Alex, Smithsonian Magazine, 5 Mar. 2024 Other calls accuse the agency of causing chemtrails — a conspiracy theory claiming that condensation trials left behind by airplanes are toxic chemicals being sprayed on people for some unspecified nefarious reason. Salvador Hernandez, Los Angeles Times, 24 Feb. 2024 This involved spraying the wood with water intermittently between periods of leaving it to dry, then exposing it to heat and bright light. Alistair Charlton, Forbes, 29 Feb. 2024 The plane was grounded for three days in the Sri Lankan capital while the aircraft was sprayed with rat poison. Sarah Rumpf-Whitten, Fox News, 28 Feb. 2024 Don’t spray it directly on your face, and apply it to your own hands first before rubbing it on your children’s skin. Jessica MacDonald, Travel + Leisure, 27 Feb. 2024 The district often sprays treatments in areas that have virus activity in the counties, using urban aerial spraying and ground spraying. Hanh Truong, Sacramento Bee, 27 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'spray.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Noun (1)

Middle English, from Old English *spræg, spræc

Noun (2)

obsolete English spray to sprinkle, from Middle Dutch sprayen

First Known Use

Noun (1)

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun (2)

1621, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

1527, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of spray was in the 13th century

Dictionary Entries Near spray

Cite this Entry

“Spray.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/spray. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

spray

1 of 3 noun
: a usually flowering branch or shoot

spray

2 of 3 noun
1
: liquid flying in fine drops like water blown from a wave
2
a
: a burst of fine mist (as from an atomizer)
b
: a device (as an atomizer) for scattering a spray

spray

3 of 3 verb
1
: to scatter or apply as a spray
2
: to scatter spray on or into
sprayer noun

Medical Definition

spray

1 of 2 noun
: a jet of vapor or finely divided liquid
specifically : a jet of fine medicated vapor used as an application to a diseased part or to charge the air of a room with a disinfectant or deodorant

spray

2 of 2 intransitive verb
: to emit a stream or spray of urine
a cat may spray to mark its territory

Legal Definition

spray

transitive verb
: to disperse among a number of recipients
authorized to spray trust incomeW. M. McGovern, Jr. et al.

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