1
as in to extend
to extend outwards from or as if from a central point
The suburbs sprawl for miles beyond the city's downtown.
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2
as in to stretch (out)
to rest with the arms and legs spread out
There's no feeling like sprawling out on your bed after a hard day's work.
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of sprawl
Now, satellite images reviewed by Reuters show Beijing is building a sprawling web of launch pads, bunkers and communications nodes near the isolated nuclear silos that hold the Chinese military’s longest-range missiles.
—
Reuters, NBC news, 29 May 2026
Elon Musk reportedly floats SpaceX, Tesla merger Elon Musk has reportedly discussed merging SpaceX with Tesla, a deal that would give the world’s richest person even more control over his sprawling tech empire.
—semafor.com, 29 May 2026
His photos are currently part of the sprawling open-air Photoville exhibition in Brooklyn, New York, open through May 30.
—Diane Cole, NPR, 29 May 2026
Those charges followed a sprawling indictment of 34 defendants that also ensnared Hall of Fame player and Portland Trail Blazers coach Chauncey Billups and former Lakers assistant coach Damon Jones.
—Steve Henson, Los Angeles Times, 29 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for sprawl
Reuters, NBC news, 29 May 2026
Elon Musk reportedly floats SpaceX, Tesla merger Elon Musk has reportedly discussed merging SpaceX with Tesla, a deal that would give the world’s richest person even more control over his sprawling tech empire.
—semafor.com, 29 May 2026
His photos are currently part of the sprawling open-air Photoville exhibition in Brooklyn, New York, open through May 30.
—Diane Cole, NPR, 29 May 2026
Those charges followed a sprawling indictment of 34 defendants that also ensnared Hall of Fame player and Portland Trail Blazers coach Chauncey Billups and former Lakers assistant coach Damon Jones.
—Steve Henson, Los Angeles Times, 29 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for sprawl
Recent Examples of Synonyms for sprawl
Verb
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The concession extends through four different eco-zones and happens to be prime rhino and big cat real estate.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
3 June 2026
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But behind the courteous gesture, there are lingering concerns of how overtourism might impact Ishigaki’s rich natural environment and potentially overwhelm its infrastructure, concerns that extend to other neighboring remote islands.—
Wayne Chang,
CNN Money,
3 June 2026
Verb
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The election has also underscored two sharply diverging visions for the future of peace in a country marked by years of conflict.—
Megan Janetsky,
Los Angeles Times,
1 June 2026
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That asymmetry is the reason the two categories are diverging into different industries with different physics, different buyers and different definitions of success.—
Ashutosh Saxena,
Forbes.com,
1 June 2026
Verb
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Behind the glass sat a sea-foam green Hermes 3000, a pre-1966 model, instantly recognizable by its bulbous body and soft, swelling curves.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
2 June 2026
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The concierge can recommend good dog-walking locations nearby and even refer guests to pet-sitting services.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
2 June 2026
Verb
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The deal with Curry, who is a household name in China, is expected to further boost Li-Ning’s popularity in the country and help expand the brand’s market share in the US.—
John Liu,
CNN Money,
2 June 2026
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By greatly expanding the dimensions of his images, with their muted palettes, tight cropping, found symmetries, and laconic wit, had the maestro of the photographic epigram betrayed his subtractive aesthetic?—
James Quandt,
Artforum,
2 June 2026
Verb
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His first attempt, a dystopian fantasy, had flopped.—
Nathan Heller,
Vogue,
29 May 2026
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Their plan flopped spectacularly.—
Ken Rosenthal,
The Orlando Sentinel,
29 May 2026
Verb
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The vibrant floral print of this Vince Camuto Maxi Dress practically radiates vacation energy.—
Julia Morlino,
Travel + Leisure,
29 May 2026
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This means any lithium they are born with should be rapidly burned through during the nuclear fusion processes that provide the star with energy to radiate.—
Robert Lea,
Space.com,
29 May 2026
Verb
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The elastic bands also make the sandals easy to slide on for airport security, quick coffee runs, or poolside lounging.—
Aashna Gheewalla,
PEOPLE,
31 May 2026
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Dreaming of lounging on a pink sand beach this summer?—
Ariel Wodarcyk,
InStyle,
29 May 2026
Verb
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In another Amsterdam photo, a pair of identical world globes, recalling Ghirri’s passion for cartography and atlases, rest on matching supports to conjure that oldest of surrealist tropes, a pair of staring eyes.—
James Quandt,
Artforum,
2 June 2026
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Eventually, your eyes come to rest on the hotel’s facade—an impressive grid of local stone and wooden louvers that is Urquiola’s ode to the oeuvre of Rationalist architect Giuseppe Terragni.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
2 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Sprawl.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sprawl. Accessed 5 Jun. 2026.
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