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

Prospectors sinking wells met in hotel lobbies for lunch then adjourned to hotel suites to spread out geological maps and talk about mineral rights and royalties. —Hollace Ava Weiner, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 16 Aug. 2025

Mouse embryos, on the other hand, spread out more across the surface and pull mainly along two or three strong lines. —Humberto Basilio, Scientific American, 15 Aug. 2025

Many of Dominica’s must-visit beaches and attractions are spread out, so rather than rent a car to shuttle yourself around, consider joining a tour. —Kristin Braswell, AFAR Media, 14 Aug. 2025

Even in densely populated urban areas, outdoor air monitors owned by federal, state, and local jurisdictions might be geographically spread out, leaving monitoring gaps that don't accurately capture the air quality beyond one’s front door. —Lisa Wood Shapiro, Wired News, 9 Aug. 2025

Rhymes for spread out

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