as in measured
to find out the size, extent, or amount of
tried to span the distance between the two trees by eye alone
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of spanned
The Chilean director earned international acclaim with the Oscar-nominated No, with later standouts including Jackie, Spencer, El Conde and the recent Angelina Jolie starrer, Maria — a career that has consistently spanned arthouse cinema and prestige English-language filmmaking.
—
Patrick Brzeski, HollywoodReporter, 13 Feb. 2026
But consider the other two projects that have spanned those tracks over the years — the one that made the McCormick Place expansion possible in 1986 and Millennium Park beginning in 1998.
—David Greising, Chicago Tribune, 13 Feb. 2026
The boy showed signs of long-term abuse and malnourishment that spanned almost two years, according to prosecutors.
—Megan De Mar, CBS News, 13 Feb. 2026
And their experiences have spanned multiple schemes and coaches.
—Nicki Jhabvala, New York Times, 12 Feb. 2026
What began as a one-year gig turned into a career that has spanned four decades.
—Los Angeles Times, 11 Feb. 2026
The Longhorns' longest winning streak in that venue was a 45-game run that spanned four seasons in the 1980s.
—Danny Davis, Austin American Statesman, 10 Feb. 2026
Colón’s Libro de los Epítomes (Book of Summaries) spanned multiple volumes and provided condensed versions of the works in his collection, along with metadata such as content details, author biographies, and writing styles.
—Big Think, 9 Feb. 2026
The scheme spanned South Florida and multiple countries, including Venezuela and Spain, and roped in powerful figures, such as members of the Venezuelan Archdiocese, lawyers and doctors, records show.
—Devoun Cetoute, Miami Herald, 7 Feb. 2026
Patrick Brzeski, HollywoodReporter, 13 Feb. 2026
But consider the other two projects that have spanned those tracks over the years — the one that made the McCormick Place expansion possible in 1986 and Millennium Park beginning in 1998.
—David Greising, Chicago Tribune, 13 Feb. 2026
The boy showed signs of long-term abuse and malnourishment that spanned almost two years, according to prosecutors.
—Megan De Mar, CBS News, 13 Feb. 2026
And their experiences have spanned multiple schemes and coaches.
—Nicki Jhabvala, New York Times, 12 Feb. 2026
What began as a one-year gig turned into a career that has spanned four decades.
—Los Angeles Times, 11 Feb. 2026
The Longhorns' longest winning streak in that venue was a 45-game run that spanned four seasons in the 1980s.
—Danny Davis, Austin American Statesman, 10 Feb. 2026
Colón’s Libro de los Epítomes (Book of Summaries) spanned multiple volumes and provided condensed versions of the works in his collection, along with metadata such as content details, author biographies, and writing styles.
—Big Think, 9 Feb. 2026
The scheme spanned South Florida and multiple countries, including Venezuela and Spain, and roped in powerful figures, such as members of the Venezuelan Archdiocese, lawyers and doctors, records show.
—Devoun Cetoute, Miami Herald, 7 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for spanned
Verb
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For many, Paczki Day is less about indulgence and more about memory; the taste of something familiar, the comfort of ritual and the quiet joy of carrying a box of pastries out into the cold, knowing that once a year, tradition is measured not in hours, but in powdered sugar.—
Vivian Richey,
Chicago Tribune,
17 Feb. 2026
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Time spent reading, writing, and playing games was then measured later in life, starting at the average age of 80.—
Michele Laufik,
Martha Stewart,
17 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Markets currently expect the Fed to cut once or twice this year — most likely in June and December, according to futures market pricing gauged by the CME Group’s FedWatch tool.—
Jeff Cox,
CNBC,
27 Jan. 2026
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Battery Life and Power Management The durability of a medical alert system is gauged by its ability to save power when it is most required.—
Craig Lebrau,
USA Today,
19 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Spanned.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/spanned. Accessed 19 Feb. 2026.
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