as in measures
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 spans
News Desk, Artforum, 7 Apr. 2026
In 2023, a suspect was initially arrested in connection with several of the deaths in a case that now spans over two decades, with victims who were found in multiple locations on Long Island.
—Meredith Deliso, ABC News, 7 Apr. 2026
Keep reading to discover smart ways to use your Swiffer that spans more than just the floor.
—Maria Sabella, The Spruce, 7 Apr. 2026
The casino, which opened in 2022, spans 100,000 square feet with more than 2,500 slot machines and more than 80 table games.
—Don Sweeney
april 7, Sacbee.com, 7 Apr. 2026
Known as Redlap House, the property spans more than 31 picturesque acres in South Devon, unfolding from formal gardens to thick woodlands down to a small sandy beach at the foot of a rocky cliff.
—Abby Montanez, Robb Report, 6 Apr. 2026
The repertoire spans half a century, singing from the depths of memory to the present moment.
—Hema Sivanandam, Mercury News, 6 Apr. 2026
The project spans 340,000 square feet of pavement to be repaired, including pavement and traffic striping improvements.
—Luke Harold, San Diego Union-Tribune, 5 Apr. 2026
Cyprus is the third-largest island in the Mediterranean, with miles of white-sand beaches and a history that spans millennia.
—Dobrina Zhekova, Travel + Leisure, 5 Apr. 2026
Verb
The beachside land spans Captiva’s Laika Lane and Captiva Drive, according to the Fort Myers News-Press.
—News Desk, Artforum, 7 Apr. 2026
In 2023, a suspect was initially arrested in connection with several of the deaths in a case that now spans over two decades, with victims who were found in multiple locations on Long Island.
—Meredith Deliso, ABC News, 7 Apr. 2026
Keep reading to discover smart ways to use your Swiffer that spans more than just the floor.
—Maria Sabella, The Spruce, 7 Apr. 2026
The casino, which opened in 2022, spans 100,000 square feet with more than 2,500 slot machines and more than 80 table games.
—Don Sweeney
april 7, Sacbee.com, 7 Apr. 2026
Known as Redlap House, the property spans more than 31 picturesque acres in South Devon, unfolding from formal gardens to thick woodlands down to a small sandy beach at the foot of a rocky cliff.
—Abby Montanez, Robb Report, 6 Apr. 2026
The repertoire spans half a century, singing from the depths of memory to the present moment.
—Hema Sivanandam, Mercury News, 6 Apr. 2026
The project spans 340,000 square feet of pavement to be repaired, including pavement and traffic striping improvements.
—Luke Harold, San Diego Union-Tribune, 5 Apr. 2026
Cyprus is the third-largest island in the Mediterranean, with miles of white-sand beaches and a history that spans millennia.
—Dobrina Zhekova, Travel + Leisure, 5 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for spans
Verb
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That is, your chronological age, which measures how many years have passed since you were born, may not match your biological age, which reflects wear and tear on your body at a cellular level.—
Kayla Hayempour,
NBC news,
5 Apr. 2026
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The proper method to test brake fluid is with an electronic tester that measures moisture or PH dip-strips that measure moisture and cooper levels.—
Hartford Courant,
Hartford Courant,
5 Apr. 2026
Noun
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Just like the Stars against Calgary, the Wild rallied from a pair of one-goal deficits against Seattle and are once again feeling good about their game heading into Thursday’s final regular-season meeting with the Stars.—
Michael Russo,
New York Times,
8 Apr. 2026
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Maty Quick doubled in a pair of runs with 2 out in the top of the seventh to end the scoring for the Royals.—
Darren Lauber,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
8 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Although streamflow gauges suggested that water levels were falling at Wahiawa dam by Friday afternoon, Parker said, the dam is not out of the woods.—
Evan Bush,
NBC news,
20 Mar. 2026
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Joe Raedle | Getty Images The conflict in Iran erased any improvement in consumer sentiment since February, according to early March data from the University of Michigan’s Survey of Consumers, which gauges how households feel about their own financial health and that of the economy.—
Lorie Konish,
CNBC,
17 Mar. 2026
Noun
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Money divested from Israel would be given out as cash gifts so that newly married couples could buy homes.—
Antonia Hitchens,
New Yorker,
6 Apr. 2026
-
The median income for married couples is $105,402 in that state.—
Daniel de Visé,
USA Today,
6 Apr. 2026
Noun
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The trial was delayed for years because of multiple postponements, defense challenges over the use of DNA evidence, and the efforts of prosecutors to reconstruct events involving multiple victims across a five-year timeline.—
Carlos E. Castañeda,
CBS News,
4 Apr. 2026
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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
Verb
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This bag weighs just a few ounces and rolls down to the size of a tennis ball, yet expands to nearly full size.—
Jamie Davis Smith,
Travel + Leisure,
4 Apr. 2026
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Still, the uncertainty weighs heavily on her and others in the community.—
Ivan Taylor,
CBS News,
4 Apr. 2026
Noun
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For many years, the top pick was determined by a coin flip between the worst teams in the Western and Eastern Conferences.—
Louisa Thomas,
New Yorker,
5 Apr. 2026
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When the teams met earlier this season on Black Friday, UConn easily handled Illinois in a 74-61 victory.—
Colleen Kane,
Chicago Tribune,
5 Apr. 2026
Noun
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Adding defensive end Rashan Gary will help bolster a pass rush that was dormant for stretches at a time last season, and bringing in safety Jalen Thompson will give some reliability on the back end that Dallas desperately needed after giving up the most passing yards of any team in the NFL in 2025.—
Nick Harris,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
6 Apr. 2026
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Denver metro test drive loop My drives with the Prius covered much of the South Denver metro area, including stretches of C-470 and E-470, where steady highway cruising allowed the hybrid system to show off its efficiency.—
Sponsored Content,
Denver Post,
4 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Spans.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/spans. Accessed 10 Apr. 2026.
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