as in to measure
to find out the size, extent, or amount of
tried to span the distance between the two trees by eye alone
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
1
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of span
Graham Hillard, The Washington Examiner, 15 Aug. 2025
Boston went 13-11 over that stretch, including a 9-1 span sandwiched between two disappointing road trips.
—Mac Cerullo, Boston Herald, 15 Aug. 2025
Mercury News Editorial, Mercury News, 15 Aug. 2025
This assortment spans models suited for the tiniest chihuahua to English mastiffs, the slinkiest cat to the most massive maine coons—all of them durable, comfy, and equipped to satisfy your pet’s desire to snuggle.
—Julia Harrison, Architectural Digest, 15 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for span
Verb
Iris has perhaps five more years of peak beauty and fertility, a span during which Isaac could conceivably bed dozens of women.
—Graham Hillard, The Washington Examiner, 15 Aug. 2025
Boston went 13-11 over that stretch, including a 9-1 span sandwiched between two disappointing road trips.
—Mac Cerullo, Boston Herald, 15 Aug. 2025
Noun
And the loss of federal dollars set in motion by that bill is already wreaking havoc across the state, jeopardizing nearly every sector of California — spanning transportation, education, scientific research and energy infrastructure, just for starters.
—Mercury News Editorial, Mercury News, 15 Aug. 2025
This assortment spans models suited for the tiniest chihuahua to English mastiffs, the slinkiest cat to the most massive maine coons—all of them durable, comfy, and equipped to satisfy your pet’s desire to snuggle.
—Julia Harrison, Architectural Digest, 15 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for span
Recent Examples of Synonyms for span
Verb
-
This is a new framework that measures how emerging technologies impact human connection.—
Cathy Hackl,
Forbes.com,
19 Aug. 2025
-
Built at Bath Iron Works in Maine, Jason Dunham measures 510 feet in length and displaces more than 9,000 tons at full load.—
Antonio María Delgado,
Miami Herald,
19 Aug. 2025
Noun
-
The mention of an Instagram post in the lyrics seemingly refers to a pair of posts, by the respective artists, in 2022: Del Rey with Donoghue outside a prison; Cain with him by a dam.—
Jazz Monroe,
Pitchfork,
14 Aug. 2025
-
All pair nicely with craft brews and specialty cocktails.—
Roger Naylor,
AZCentral.com,
14 Aug. 2025
Noun
-
In 1981: Mark David Chapman was sentenced to 20 years to life in prison for the murder of John Lennon.—
DAILY BRIEFING,
AZCentral.com,
25 Aug. 2025
-
Another gang’s 27-day crime spree through the Midwest embodied the scheme that rocked the nation for years.—
Bebe Hodges,
The Enquirer,
25 Aug. 2025
Verb
-
The price-to-book ratio remains a reasonable proxy for gauging Berkshire’s intrinsic value.—
Bill Stone,
Forbes.com,
15 Aug. 2025
-
Still, shifts in certain PPI categories are being closely scrutinized to gauge how President Donald Trump’s tariffs are making their way through the production chain.—
Alicia Wallace,
CNN Money,
14 Aug. 2025
Noun
-
Guests seemed to enjoy eating as couples or with friends.—
Michael Goldstein,
Forbes.com,
16 Aug. 2025
-
Bowl of oatmeal, couple glasses of water, watching a bird fly, some quiet moments in the bathroom.—
Zach Przystup,
Baltimore Sun,
15 Aug. 2025
Noun
-
By creating space where alternative views are valued, leaders reduce the appeal of upward-only performance.—
Benjamin Laker,
Forbes.com,
24 Aug. 2025
-
The reduction of the element of time relative to that of space created a moral imbalance that was also a liberating convenience.—
Rachel Cusk,
New Yorker,
24 Aug. 2025
Verb
-
Today, organizations must design composable process components—like Lego blocks that can be assembled, scaled and replaced without tearing the whole system down.—
Sanjoy Sarkar,
Forbes.com,
19 Aug. 2025
-
In contrast, activity in the Kherson region appears to be scaling down.—
Hannah Parry
Amanda Castro
Andrew Stanton,
MSNBC Newsweek,
18 Aug. 2025
Noun
-
Which, by the way, is more of a yoke than anything else.—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
2 Aug. 2025
-
No team in the NFL carries the yoke of a playoff-victory drought that long.—
Miami Herald,
Miami Herald,
31 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Span.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/span. Accessed 29 Aug. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share