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.
Related Words
Relevance
Dissimilar 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 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
-
Instacart data shows sharp pre-game jumps in purchases of Buffalo sauce, ranch dressing, salsa and queso, with chips close behind — proof that bold, shareable flavors continue to define Super Bowl Sunday spreads.—
Deirdre Bardolf,
FOXNews.com,
8 Feb. 2026
-
When academic standards are quietly lowered to accommodate underprepared students, the harm spreads to all graduates.—
Andrea Mays,
Oc Register,
8 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Troy Hawke, a comedian and internet personality, is the on-screen host for the audience and splits us into blue and red teams.—
Eduardo Tansley,
New York Times,
7 Feb. 2026
-
His basic first and second half splits (like a batting average against that rose by more than 50 percentage points and a walk rate that rose by 5 percentage points) can convey the same message.—
Shawn McFarland,
Dallas Morning News,
6 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Splays.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/splays. Accessed 10 Feb. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
