spans 1 of 2

verb

present tense third-person singular of span
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

Relevance

spans

2 of 2

noun

plural of span
1
as in pairs

Related Words
2
as in spaces

Related Words

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 spans
Verb
Yeghiazaryan’s career spans advisory consulting, financial services, content, hardware and SAAS industries including management roles at Diebold Nixdorf, Deloitte and GoPro. — Sheryl Estrada, Fortune, 4 Sep. 2026 The offer spans several bucket-list destinations, including Antarctica, Alaska, Greenland, Iceland, Norway, the Galápagos, and more. — Jessica Chapel, Condé Nast Traveler, 3 Sep. 2026 The trail spans a variety of cuisines, from Cuban to Vietnamese. — Eva Flowe, Charlotte Observer, 3 Sep. 2026 Our community now spans film, music, fashion and sport, different generations and different cultures. — Luisa Zargani, Footwear News, 3 Sep. 2026 Season 2 spans the Koshur/Hindi, Tamil, Bhojpuri, Punjabi, Telugu, Haryanvi, Urdu and Kannada languages. — Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 3 Sep. 2026 The company, founded in 1995, has grown through a combination of scale and acquisitions, building an operation that spans much of the food supply chain. — Brandon Gomez, CNBC, 28 Aug. 2026 Their range spans northern Mexico to southern Canada, but northern Arizona is a hotspot — the bats have taken to roosting on the walls of the Grand Canyon. — Shi En Kim, AZCentral.com, 28 Aug. 2026 Bluecore Energy’s warehouse spans 10,000 square feet at Berth 48. — Los Angeles Times, 28 Aug. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for spans
  1. measures
  2. pairs
  3. years
  4. gauges
  5. couples
  6. stretches
  7. weighs
  8. teams
Verb
  • Each of the decagon's 10 sides measures more than 10,000 miles long.
    — Eric Lagatta, USA Today, 3 Sep. 2026
  • The interior, meanwhile, measures 35 sq m (376 sq ft) and is finished in wood, lending it a cozy cabin-like feel.
    — New Atlas, New Atlas, 2 Sep. 2026
Definition of measures
Noun
  • The minimalist shape pairs well with jeans, loungewear, and even dresses.
    — Kaitlin Gates, Travel + Leisure, 2 Sep. 2026
  • Patrick Patrick Mahomes, the quarterback of the Kansas City Chiefs, has become the toast of the NFL after winning a pair of Super Bowls.
    — Beth Ann Mayer, Parents, 1 Sep. 2026
Definition of pairs
Noun
  • Ten years ago, on Mother’s Day, Fiona Galvin reported her 17-year-old daughter missing.
    — Gloria Casas, Chicago Tribune, 9 May 2026
  • Over the past 10 years, Quinn has seen an increase in challenging behavior and more emotions among her 6- and 7-year-olds, with a particular ramp-up since the pandemic.
    — Stacker, Hartford Courant, 9 May 2026
Definition of years
Verb
  • Another neat trick this TV has up its sleeve is an AI light sensor that gauges the room's ambient light and automatically adjusts the screen brightness to it.
    — Kelsey Fogarty, PC Magazine, 21 Aug. 2026
  • San Diego earned a 78 out of 100 Redfin Compete Score, which gauges how competitive a market is.
    — Wyles Daniel, USA Today, 16 July 2026
Definition of gauges
Noun
  • Sleep specialists say a sleep divorce can actually be healthy when couples communicate openly and stay intentional about time together.
    — Lauren Schuster, Sacbee.com, 3 Sep. 2026
  • Nearly three-quarters of Americans, 72%, said couples should discuss finances before getting married or moving in together.
    — Anthony Thompson, USA Today, 3 Sep. 2026
Definition of couples
Noun
  • There have been periodic stretches when the Jayhawks were inactive.
    — Steve Appleford, SPIN, 31 Aug. 2026
  • In the years that followed, King made frequent visits to Murphy’s house, often for long stretches.
    — Laura Preston, New Yorker, 30 Aug. 2026
Definition of stretches
Verb
  • Ivan's driver, a cheerful man in a balaclava, tells them that the bus weighs seventy thousand pounds.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 31 Aug. 2026
  • Its core commitments are voluntary and informed participation, minimization of harm to participants, confidentiality and prior approval by an institutional review board that weighs risk against scientific value.
    — Arie Perliger, The Conversation, 31 Aug. 2026
Definition of weighs
Noun
  • There remain a lot of games on that schedule against teams with far more talent.
    — Stewart Mandel, New York Times, 30 Aug. 2026
  • The decision to leave off Camden Brown comes down to who can actually contribute on special teams.
    — Nick Harris, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 29 Aug. 2026
Definition of teams

Browse Nearby Words

spanning
spans
spar
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Spans.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/spans. Accessed 6 Sep. 2026.

Copy Citation
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

A List of Most Commonly Confused Words

Why do we use apostrophes to show possession?

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

The Longest Long Words List

Stay Woke

Ye Olde Nincompoop: Old-Fashioned Words for 'Stupid'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Words of the Week - Sept. 4
See More

Popular

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

The Longest Long Words List

Stay Woke
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
anagrams on a chalk board
Word Builder Quiz Vol. 2 Pick the letter that when added to a word will ma...
See All