spread out
phrasal 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
Climate disasters are costing the US billions of dollars a year, and the damage isn’t spread out evenly, according to a new national climate assessment.
—
Justine Calma, The Verge, 14 Nov. 2023
The technical term for this strategy is diversification, which refers to spreading out your investments across a range of assets, including stocks, bonds and commodities.
—Chris Taylor, wsj.com, 7 Nov. 2023
Though orderly and peaceful, the marchers spread out over the street, leaving one lane open for cars to pass before eventually taking over the entire boulevard.
—Ashley Ahn, Los Angeles Times, 4 Nov. 2023
So interesting, in fact, that they're spread out over all 12 zodiac signs, with some much more prevalent than others.
—Zoey Lyttle, Peoplemag, 2 Nov. 2023
The overall increase, which will be spread out over four years, would put the top wage for assembly workers at around $40 an hour.
—Nora Eckert, WSJ, 26 Oct. 2023
This extends not only to the material they’re made with, but even down to the amount of space available for your toes to spread out.
—Merrell Readman, Travel + Leisure, 17 Oct. 2023
Just make sure to use a larger pan to spread out the seeds.
—Katlyn Moncada, Better Homes & Gardens, 16 Oct. 2023
The new accommodations will be largely geared towards family trips or group travel and will range from one- to three-bedroom homes, so there’s plenty of space to spread out.
—Abby Montanez, Robb Report, 10 Nov. 2023
See More
Justine Calma, The Verge, 14 Nov. 2023
The technical term for this strategy is diversification, which refers to spreading out your investments across a range of assets, including stocks, bonds and commodities.
—Chris Taylor, wsj.com, 7 Nov. 2023
Though orderly and peaceful, the marchers spread out over the street, leaving one lane open for cars to pass before eventually taking over the entire boulevard.
—Ashley Ahn, Los Angeles Times, 4 Nov. 2023
So interesting, in fact, that they're spread out over all 12 zodiac signs, with some much more prevalent than others.
—Zoey Lyttle, Peoplemag, 2 Nov. 2023
The overall increase, which will be spread out over four years, would put the top wage for assembly workers at around $40 an hour.
—Nora Eckert, WSJ, 26 Oct. 2023
This extends not only to the material they’re made with, but even down to the amount of space available for your toes to spread out.
—Merrell Readman, Travel + Leisure, 17 Oct. 2023
Just make sure to use a larger pan to spread out the seeds.
—Katlyn Moncada, Better Homes & Gardens, 16 Oct. 2023
The new accommodations will be largely geared towards family trips or group travel and will range from one- to three-bedroom homes, so there’s plenty of space to spread out.
—Abby Montanez, Robb Report, 10 Nov. 2023
See More
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'spread out.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near spread out
Cite this Entry
“Spread out.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/spread%20out. Accessed 8 Dec. 2023.
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