as in spreading
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 splaying
Little happens other than chain-smoking, costume changes and interminable shots of color-shifting strobe lighting splaying across the cast’s cheekbones.
—
Amy Nicholson, Los Angeles Times, 19 May 2026
When an ice storm is in the forecast, support plants with weak branches that are susceptible to splaying or breaking, like arborvitae and 'Sky Pencil' holly.
—Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 4 Feb. 2026
Weah often stayed high, with Miles Robinson splaying out to the right touchline in a traditional right fullback position.
—Paul Tenorio, New York Times, 11 Oct. 2025
Bob came out, blinking his eyes hard and closing his big fists tight, splaying his fingers back out in a pink baby starfish.
—Literary Hub, 13 Aug. 2025
Amy Nicholson, Los Angeles Times, 19 May 2026
When an ice storm is in the forecast, support plants with weak branches that are susceptible to splaying or breaking, like arborvitae and 'Sky Pencil' holly.
—Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 4 Feb. 2026
Weah often stayed high, with Miles Robinson splaying out to the right touchline in a traditional right fullback position.
—Paul Tenorio, New York Times, 11 Oct. 2025
Bob came out, blinking his eyes hard and closing his big fists tight, splaying his fingers back out in a pink baby starfish.
—Literary Hub, 13 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for splaying
Verb
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The Asian tiger mosquito, one of the most invasive insect species in Connecticut, is rapidly spreading and finding more territory in the state.—
Stephen Underwood,
Hartford Courant,
12 June 2026
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May 13 — The United States declares war on Mexico; news begins slowly spreading toward California.—
Kurt Snibbe,
Oc Register,
12 June 2026
Verb
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Explore both options carefully, then, and don't discount the advantages of splitting your funds among both accounts, too.—
Matt Richardson,
CBS News,
9 June 2026
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The case made its first emergency trip to the Supreme Court in February, 2022, when the Justices, splitting 5–4 (Chief Justice John Roberts joined the three liberals), overturned the lower court’s order and granted Alabama’s request that elections proceed that year under the discriminatory map.—
Ruth Marcus,
New Yorker,
8 June 2026
Verb
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This process is currently being pursued for areas like the physics of energy radiating through the atmosphere, sea ice cover, and ocean circulation.—
ArsTechnica,
ArsTechnica,
8 June 2026
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Insulate sun-facing walls and garage doors to block heat from radiating inside.—
Ashlyn Needham,
Southern Living,
2 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Splaying.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/splaying. Accessed 14 Jun. 2026.
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