as in measures
to find out the size, extent, or amount of
tried to span the distance between the two trees by eye alone
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Recent Examples of spans
Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 18 Feb. 2026
This ensures our testing base spans different skin tones, genders, and dermatological conditions.
—Allure, 17 Feb. 2026
In researching a story that spans the globe, Fox uncovers her mother’s true experience from Nazi slave to freedom fighter, from refugee to spy and saboteur.
—Ben Crandell, Sun Sentinel, 17 Feb. 2026
Career spans public school to politics to prayer Talarico was born in 1989 in Round Rock, Texas, to a single mother, according to his campaign website.
—Nicole Fallert, USA Today, 17 Feb. 2026
Cooper, which specializes in spirits and classic cocktails, spans the second floor.
—Mae Hamilton, Travel + Leisure, 17 Feb. 2026
The multi-arts event spans the venue’s entire site, which comprises multiple performance spaces and galleries.
—Sophie Williams, Billboard, 16 Feb. 2026
The arena tour spans more than 50 cities and marks the rapper’s first solo headline tour in about five years.
—Tanasia Kenney, Charlotte Observer, 16 Feb. 2026
Bad Bunny’s role in the Super Bowl also underscores Zara’s growing cultural reach in the US, a key market for the group, where the artist’s influence spans Latino and non-Latino consumers alike.
—Bloomberg, Mercury News, 10 Feb. 2026
Verb
Going on a trip that spans the beach, a city, and a safari?
—Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 18 Feb. 2026
This ensures our testing base spans different skin tones, genders, and dermatological conditions.
—Allure, 17 Feb. 2026
In researching a story that spans the globe, Fox uncovers her mother’s true experience from Nazi slave to freedom fighter, from refugee to spy and saboteur.
—Ben Crandell, Sun Sentinel, 17 Feb. 2026
Career spans public school to politics to prayer Talarico was born in 1989 in Round Rock, Texas, to a single mother, according to his campaign website.
—Nicole Fallert, USA Today, 17 Feb. 2026
Cooper, which specializes in spirits and classic cocktails, spans the second floor.
—Mae Hamilton, Travel + Leisure, 17 Feb. 2026
The multi-arts event spans the venue’s entire site, which comprises multiple performance spaces and galleries.
—Sophie Williams, Billboard, 16 Feb. 2026
The arena tour spans more than 50 cities and marks the rapper’s first solo headline tour in about five years.
—Tanasia Kenney, Charlotte Observer, 16 Feb. 2026
Bad Bunny’s role in the Super Bowl also underscores Zara’s growing cultural reach in the US, a key market for the group, where the artist’s influence spans Latino and non-Latino consumers alike.
—Bloomberg, Mercury News, 10 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for spans
Verb
-
Epipedobates anthonyi, known as Anthony’s poison arrow frog, typically measures 22 mm long.—
Freddie Clayton,
NBC news,
15 Feb. 2026
-
Since early 2020, cumulative CPI inflation, which measures an array of goods and services including food and gas, has risen roughly 26%, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.—
Gili Malinsky,
CNBC,
13 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
The pair achieved as much in Gibson’s very first World Cup event, with the duo winning the mixed relay race to secure a spot for the Games.—
Ben Church,
CNN Money,
18 Feb. 2026
-
Hernandez pleaded no contest to charges that included a pair of enhancements for great bodily harm to a victim younger than 5 and willful harm or injury to a child that resulted in death in the commission of child abuse.—
Andrew J. Campa,
Los Angeles Times,
18 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
At Starbucks stores, the company revised the dress code for baristas, suggesting employees wear solid black tops and remove ear gauges larger than a quarter.—
Jake Angelo,
Fortune,
30 Jan. 2026
-
The research firm's Secondhand Pricing Tracker gauges the resale premium — or the auction sale price of a bag compared to its original retail price — and is weighted by volume.—
Robert Frank,
CNBC,
16 Dec. 2025
Noun
-
Singles, couples and families welcome.—
Ut Community Press,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
18 Feb. 2026
-
Tell Me Lies features several onscreen couples who are also together in real life.—
Emma Banks,
InStyle,
17 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
The 308-pound calf was the first elephant born at the zoo in almost 25 years and only the third elephant birth in the zoo’s 136-year history.—
Michael E. Ruane,
Washington Post,
14 Feb. 2026
-
The event has been held annually for the past fifteen years, but this year there was an extra layer of sombreness to the proceedings, which the overcast skies seemed to reflect.—
Edwidge Danticat,
New Yorker,
30 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
In fact, Kellie Delka stands just 5-foot-3 and weighs about 120 pounds.—
Kevin Baxter,
Los Angeles Times,
14 Feb. 2026
-
The aircraft weighs nearly 11,000 pounds.—
Kurt Knutsson,
FOXNews.com,
14 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Every one of the NFL’s 32 teams has played a regular-season game outside the United States and is signed up to the league’s Global Markets Program.—
Tom Chitty,
CNBC,
15 Feb. 2026
-
The committee uses 12 criteria to determine who belongs in the field and where teams should be seeded.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
15 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Sensing there are stretches that require at least a modicum of steering, Brettkelly gets one or two of the older guys to do somewhat jarring off-camera narration/summation, in which the speaker is identified in subtitles in some instances and not others.—
Daniel Fienberg,
HollywoodReporter,
16 Feb. 2026
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Both had some rough stretches in 2025, which certainly played a part, but the Yankees also didn’t extend an offer to Brad Keller despite having some interest in him as well.—
Gary Phillips,
New York Daily News,
16 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Spans.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/spans. Accessed 20 Feb. 2026.
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