spread out

verb

spread out; spreading out; spreads out

1

: to open, arrange, or place (something) over a large area

He spread out the map on the table.

He spread the cards out on the table.

The cards were spread out across the table.

2

: to be open, arranged, or extended over a large area

The city is spread out over a wide area.

3

: to move (parts of the body) outward or away from each other

Spread your arms out.

There's no room on the couch to spread yourself out.

4

: to divide up (something) over a period of time or among members of a group

They spread the work out among the committee members.

The course is spread out over two semesters.

5

: to move apart from the other members of a group especially to search an area

The police spread out to search the area faster.

Examples of spread out in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Located next door to California High School, the park can get crowded on summer weekends, but the grounds are spacious enough that visitors can spread out, including on the sloping lawn shaded by redwood trees. —Martha Ross, Mercury News, 28 May 2026

The tournament’s 72 group stage matches, the most ever, are spread out over 16 host cities or metropolitan areas. —Miami Herald, 28 May 2026

The neighborhood/area The fabulous and the HNWIs descend on Punta del Este, South America’s hippest destination, every summer, spreading out among the satellite towns of La Barra, Manantiales, and José Ignacio between late December and March. —Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 27 May 2026

And perhaps the most rewarding part of the victory was the fact that the momentum was spread out across the roster in historic fashion. —Peter Chawaga, Forbes.com, 27 May 2026

Rhymes for spread out

• about
• bailout
• blackout
• blowout
• breakout
• burnout
• buyout
• checkout
• closeout
• cutout
• devout
• dropout