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
Corey Parker, a versatile actor whose career spanned film, television and mentoring young performers, has died, according to TMZ.
—
Kennedy French, Variety, 7 Mar. 2026
Mostly for the telephone and telegraph, but his other inventions spanned interests and included a metal jacket to assist in breathing, the audiometer to detect minor hearing problems and a device to locate icebergs,In January 1915, Bell made the first ceremonial transcontinental telephone call.
—Kurt Snibbe, Oc Register, 7 Mar. 2026
Here was a piece that not only spanned the entire spectrum of casual to formal, but ate it up in the volume of its layered pleats.
—Julissa James, Los Angeles Times, 5 Mar. 2026
The interview spanned the full breadth of Maas’s career and creative life, from exclusive release dates and fan theories about beloved characters to deeply personal reflections on the emotional labor behind her writing process.
—Hanna Wickes, Kansas City Star, 5 Mar. 2026
His career spanned more than five decades, from playing in big bands in the late 1930s to radical explorations in free jazz and electronic music from the ’60s through the ’80s.
—Lisa Wong MacAbasco, Vogue, 5 Mar. 2026
In a legal career that spanned more than four decades, Rosenbaum took on some of South Florida’s toughest, most hopeless cases.
—Rafael Olmeda, Sun Sentinel, 5 Mar. 2026
The visit spanned Syria, Jordan, Iraq, and Kuwait, where nearly 1,800 Iowa National Guard members were deployed at the time.
—Brianne Pfannenstiel, Des Moines Register, 5 Mar. 2026
The annual gathering has spanned more than a quarter century along the beach and in the bars of Puerto Penasco, Mexico, 60 miles south of the Arizona border along the Gulf of California.
—Josh Crutchmer, Rolling Stone, 5 Mar. 2026
Kennedy French, Variety, 7 Mar. 2026
Mostly for the telephone and telegraph, but his other inventions spanned interests and included a metal jacket to assist in breathing, the audiometer to detect minor hearing problems and a device to locate icebergs,In January 1915, Bell made the first ceremonial transcontinental telephone call.
—Kurt Snibbe, Oc Register, 7 Mar. 2026
Here was a piece that not only spanned the entire spectrum of casual to formal, but ate it up in the volume of its layered pleats.
—Julissa James, Los Angeles Times, 5 Mar. 2026
The interview spanned the full breadth of Maas’s career and creative life, from exclusive release dates and fan theories about beloved characters to deeply personal reflections on the emotional labor behind her writing process.
—Hanna Wickes, Kansas City Star, 5 Mar. 2026
His career spanned more than five decades, from playing in big bands in the late 1930s to radical explorations in free jazz and electronic music from the ’60s through the ’80s.
—Lisa Wong MacAbasco, Vogue, 5 Mar. 2026
In a legal career that spanned more than four decades, Rosenbaum took on some of South Florida’s toughest, most hopeless cases.
—Rafael Olmeda, Sun Sentinel, 5 Mar. 2026
The visit spanned Syria, Jordan, Iraq, and Kuwait, where nearly 1,800 Iowa National Guard members were deployed at the time.
—Brianne Pfannenstiel, Des Moines Register, 5 Mar. 2026
The annual gathering has spanned more than a quarter century along the beach and in the bars of Puerto Penasco, Mexico, 60 miles south of the Arizona border along the Gulf of California.
—Josh Crutchmer, Rolling Stone, 5 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for spanned
Verb
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Ultraviolet emissions can be measured by the Hubble Space Telescope, but that iconic observatory also covers other areas and is in very high demand.—
Tereza Pultarova,
Space.com,
3 Mar. 2026
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During a yearly physical, your blood glucose levels will be measured.—
Sheah Rarback,
Miami Herald,
3 Mar. 2026
Verb
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The economists sifted through individual-level data on mortgages and consumption and gauged changes in borrowing based on the effect of rate reductions on boosting asset prices.—
Malcolm Scott,
Bloomberg,
4 Mar. 2026
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And there were rumors that the Dodgers had gauged trade interest in Hernandez over the winter.—
Bill Plunkett,
Oc Register,
17 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Spanned.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/spanned. Accessed 10 Mar. 2026.
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