1
as in extended
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 sat
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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Dissimilar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of sprawled
Blue skies extended to the horizon, and a small colony of tents, camper vans and motorhomes sprawled out across the lush alfalfa fields.
—
Annie Waldman, ProPublica, 9 June 2026
The strips are piled high in plastic bins, sprawled over tables and fed underneath bobbing needles.
—Karissa Waddick, USA Today, 6 June 2026
Images selected as exhibits for a court hearing included a barefoot youth sprawled face-down on a beige carpet, surrounded by the white sneakers of various companions.
—Thomas Lake, AJC.com, 4 June 2026
At the end of Friday’s preliminary competition, Hernandez and five other high jump contenders sprawled on their stomachs beneath the high jump tent, cheering on West Ranch junior Avery Prestridge and La Jolla junior Anastasia Volkov in a jump-off for the final qualifying spot.
—Marisa Ingemi, Los Angeles Times, 1 June 2026
Baker sprawled across a leather couch.
—Charles Bethea, New Yorker, 1 June 2026
Velvet curtains flank the floor-to-ceiling windows for some earthy contrast, while a long sectional sofa invites you to spend a relaxing night sprawled out in front of the TV.
—Erika Owen, Architectural Digest, 30 May 2026
Cops responding to a call about an assault in progress found Freeman sprawled on the ground, bleeding from his chest wound.
—Thomas Tracy, New York Daily News, 29 May 2026
The lively event was sprawled out on the beach between 11th and 14th Streets on Ocean Drive.
—Devoun Cetoute, Miami Herald, 25 May 2026
Annie Waldman, ProPublica, 9 June 2026
The strips are piled high in plastic bins, sprawled over tables and fed underneath bobbing needles.
—Karissa Waddick, USA Today, 6 June 2026
Images selected as exhibits for a court hearing included a barefoot youth sprawled face-down on a beige carpet, surrounded by the white sneakers of various companions.
—Thomas Lake, AJC.com, 4 June 2026
At the end of Friday’s preliminary competition, Hernandez and five other high jump contenders sprawled on their stomachs beneath the high jump tent, cheering on West Ranch junior Avery Prestridge and La Jolla junior Anastasia Volkov in a jump-off for the final qualifying spot.
—Marisa Ingemi, Los Angeles Times, 1 June 2026
Baker sprawled across a leather couch.
—Charles Bethea, New Yorker, 1 June 2026
Velvet curtains flank the floor-to-ceiling windows for some earthy contrast, while a long sectional sofa invites you to spend a relaxing night sprawled out in front of the TV.
—Erika Owen, Architectural Digest, 30 May 2026
Cops responding to a call about an assault in progress found Freeman sprawled on the ground, bleeding from his chest wound.
—Thomas Tracy, New York Daily News, 29 May 2026
The lively event was sprawled out on the beach between 11th and 14th Streets on Ocean Drive.
—Devoun Cetoute, Miami Herald, 25 May 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for sprawled
Verb
-
According to the agreement, the two sides are supposed to negotiate the issues in 60 days but Baghaei said the deadline could be extended if necessary.—
Joey Garrison,
USA Today,
19 June 2026
-
From packed streets to neighborhood businesses, the excitement surrounding the team's title has extended well beyond basketball.—
Hannah Kliger,
CBS News,
19 June 2026
Verb
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Levi Jones, a 33-year-old business owner, pulled up to Sacred Eye Tattoos in Hollywood last week and sat for eight hours getting a photorealistic black-and-white portrait of Mangione on his leg.—
Amanda Rosa,
Orlando Sentinel,
24 Dec. 2024
-
The birthday boy and his big sister Sterling Skye, 3, each sat between one of their parents’ laps.—
Angel Saunders,
People.com,
24 Dec. 2024
Verb
-
The big story Since the pandemic, the China story has diverged as tech advances grab attention, while traditional industries fade.—
Evelyn Cheng,
CNBC,
15 June 2026
-
But then our paths diverged, there were disagreements over the team’s direction.—
Dermot Corrigan,
New York Times,
13 June 2026
Verb
-
Replay shows the defender never made meaningful contact and the offensive player overly-exaggerated the contact (flopped).—
Jon Root OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
13 June 2026
-
That fad, alas, had run its course, and the Bicentennial Pet Rock flopped.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
13 June 2026
Verb
-
Ryne Nelson scattered nine hits over seven efficient innings, while closer Paul Sewald survived Donovan Walton’s two-out homer in the ninth to lock down his 18th save in 19 chances.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
16 June 2026
-
One of the areas hit includes Bridgeview, where pieces of roofing remained scattered around an apartment building on 79th Street after powerful winds ripped through the area.—
Darius Johnson,
CBS News,
15 June 2026
Verb
-
The couple giggled between kisses and lounged on a red-and-white picnic blanket while overlooking the Pacific Ocean.—
Tracy Wright,
FOXNews.com,
16 June 2026
-
Party people lounged on the dock, their legs dangling over turquoise water, while tequila flowed freely.—
Serena Turner,
Vanity Fair,
15 June 2026
Verb
-
The largely peaceful celebration radiated out into the streets around the Garden, with some fans climbing on street signs and jumping on top of vehicles.—
Alaa Elassar,
CNN Money,
14 June 2026
-
Their loss radiated outward like ripples in water after a stone is dropped.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
10 June 2026
Verb
-
Video of Dick slouched over on a Los Angeles sidewalk circulated quickly.—
David Manheim,
Rolling Stone,
20 May 2026
-
Her wedge of baked Alaska slouched on the plate like a children’s book illustration meant to convey sadness.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
2 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Sprawled.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sprawled. Accessed 21 Jun. 2026.
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