as in spread
to cause to move outward and apart
He sat with his legs splayed apart. She splayed her fingers to show off her manicure.
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Recent Examples of splayed
DeChambeau splayed drives right, and putts short, long, wide and all about the tricky Aronimink greens.
—
Dana O’Neil, CNN Money, 14 May 2026
The suspect was heavyset and walked with a unique gait, feet splayed apart, as seen in the surveillance video.
—Matthew Adams, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 17 Apr. 2026
One moment, she’s splayed across the marquetry top of the dining table.
—Sam Cochran, Architectural Digest, 15 Apr. 2026
His fingers splayed and writhed like a terrible mandible.
—Douglas Stuart, New Yorker, 12 Apr. 2026
As the footage continues, the pair falls out of sight behind the white sedan for about a minute before the sedan suddenly speeds away, revealing one man splayed across the ground as the gunman appears to straddle him.
—Thomas Tracy, New York Daily News, 18 Mar. 2026
Isabelle hops, arms splayed upward, hits the water, and swims to Mom.
—Gerald Witt, AJC.com, 1 Mar. 2026
Jurors saw a photo of Saxon’s small mattress splayed on a bare concrete floor beside a case of bottled water and some Ensure protein drinks.
—Nancy Dillon, Rolling Stone, 25 Feb. 2026
Judges score the flips and spins, including pretzel-like shapes with skis splayed or crossed, before the skiers pull up at the last split second and slam skis-first into the landing area, kicking up a spray of snow.
—ABC News, 16 Feb. 2026
Dana O’Neil, CNN Money, 14 May 2026
The suspect was heavyset and walked with a unique gait, feet splayed apart, as seen in the surveillance video.
—Matthew Adams, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 17 Apr. 2026
One moment, she’s splayed across the marquetry top of the dining table.
—Sam Cochran, Architectural Digest, 15 Apr. 2026
His fingers splayed and writhed like a terrible mandible.
—Douglas Stuart, New Yorker, 12 Apr. 2026
As the footage continues, the pair falls out of sight behind the white sedan for about a minute before the sedan suddenly speeds away, revealing one man splayed across the ground as the gunman appears to straddle him.
—Thomas Tracy, New York Daily News, 18 Mar. 2026
Isabelle hops, arms splayed upward, hits the water, and swims to Mom.
—Gerald Witt, AJC.com, 1 Mar. 2026
Jurors saw a photo of Saxon’s small mattress splayed on a bare concrete floor beside a case of bottled water and some Ensure protein drinks.
—Nancy Dillon, Rolling Stone, 25 Feb. 2026
Judges score the flips and spins, including pretzel-like shapes with skis splayed or crossed, before the skiers pull up at the last split second and slam skis-first into the landing area, kicking up a spray of snow.
—ABC News, 16 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for splayed
Verb
-
The Islamic Center of San Diego's director and imam, Taha Hassane, pleaded with the public to spread tolerance and love instead of hate.—
Dennis Romero,
NBC news,
19 May 2026
-
The staffers, who are spread across more than twenty front- and back-end departments, are organizing under the name Seattle Art Museum Workers United (SAMWU) under the auspices of the Washington Federation of State Employees/AFSCME Council 28.—
News Desk,
Artforum,
18 May 2026
Verb
-
Matching the anything-goes vibe that flows through the resort, the breezy restaurant pavilion is merely a suggestion—ordering lunch or dinner to your private terrace, a candlelit table on the beach, or one of the dozen-or-so secret seating nooks scattered around the property is actively encouraged.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
18 May 2026
-
Local officials called the incident the worst single diving accident in the history of the Maldives, a nation of 1,192 tiny coral islands scattered some 500 miles across the equator in the Indian Ocean.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
18 May 2026
Verb
-
Diaz’s face was split open by the end of the second round, the canvas looked like a crime scene and Perry stormed around the cage afterward, demanding a fight with Paul while fans stood on chairs trying to film the madness below them.—
Alejandro Avila OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
17 May 2026
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There’s a whole-house generator, central AC/heat, and mini-splits to keep things feeling comfortable no matter the weather.—
Clio Chang,
Curbed,
17 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Splayed.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/splayed. Accessed 21 May. 2026.
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