as in spreads
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 splays
Across the boat, a young guy with thin lips and a sweater tied around his shoulders leans back and splays his legs.
—
Dalton Ross, Entertainment Weekly, 16 Jan. 2026
The Riverwalk in Fort Lauderdale splays out in full shade from the condo buildings and strips of golden sun.
—Eric Barton, Sun Sentinel, 4 Jan. 2026
The sneakers feature Altra’s signature FootShape design, which splays at the front to give your toes ample space for natural movement.
—Olivia Young, Travel + Leisure, 13 Nov. 2025
Dalton Ross, Entertainment Weekly, 16 Jan. 2026
The Riverwalk in Fort Lauderdale splays out in full shade from the condo buildings and strips of golden sun.
—Eric Barton, Sun Sentinel, 4 Jan. 2026
The sneakers feature Altra’s signature FootShape design, which splays at the front to give your toes ample space for natural movement.
—Olivia Young, Travel + Leisure, 13 Nov. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for splays
Verb
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Unfortunately, the striking shrub spreads by roots and seeds, overtaking native plants.—
SJ McShane,
Martha Stewart,
5 Apr. 2026
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The disease spreads through coughing or sneezing with respiratory droplets containing bacteria.—
Eduardo Cuevas,
USA Today,
4 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Jennifer Pomeranz, a public health law professor at NYU, splits the difference between Faber and McBride, saying MAHA’s voluntary approach is actually working, not despite the chaos, but through it.—
Catherina Gioino,
Fortune,
5 Apr. 2026
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That tension between sweet and savory is what splits jelly bean fans into opposing camps.—
Samantha Agate,
Miami Herald,
1 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Splays.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/splays. Accessed 12 Apr. 2026.
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