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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Recent Examples of sprawled
Early in the second period, just after Greaves got caught out of the net while playing a puck to his right, Provorov hustled to the other side of the net and sprawled across the ice, blocking a shot by Florida’s Tomas Nosek that would have tied the score at 1.
—
Aaron Portzline, New York Times, 6 Mar. 2026
In the flick, Sly was sprawled out on his stomach, stretching toward the window to catch a better view of the iconic structure.
—Elle Meier, InStyle, 5 Mar. 2026
From the 1950s until the 1980s, San Jose sprawled in all directions.
—Paul Rogers, Mercury News, 3 Mar. 2026
From orbit, the intersecting ridges resemble a massive spiderweb sprawled across the Martian surface.
—Samantha Mathewson, Space.com, 27 Feb. 2026
Earlier in the game, Hughes was sprawled on the ice after the high stick, teeth knocked out, trainers hovering.
—Mike Bianchi, The Orlando Sentinel, 26 Feb. 2026
Wilson is sprawled out on a sand dune; Odom lays on a bed in an inn.
—Lori Waxman, Chicago Tribune, 25 Feb. 2026
She was sprawled out on the floor with scratches on her face.
—Nicholas Williams, New York Daily News, 22 Feb. 2026
Miles Bridges, along with Duren and Detroit’s Isaiah Stewart, got tossed out in the third quarter following a lengthy brawl that sprawled across nearly an entire half of the court.
—Roderick Boone, Charlotte Observer, 10 Feb. 2026
Aaron Portzline, New York Times, 6 Mar. 2026
In the flick, Sly was sprawled out on his stomach, stretching toward the window to catch a better view of the iconic structure.
—Elle Meier, InStyle, 5 Mar. 2026
From the 1950s until the 1980s, San Jose sprawled in all directions.
—Paul Rogers, Mercury News, 3 Mar. 2026
From orbit, the intersecting ridges resemble a massive spiderweb sprawled across the Martian surface.
—Samantha Mathewson, Space.com, 27 Feb. 2026
Earlier in the game, Hughes was sprawled on the ice after the high stick, teeth knocked out, trainers hovering.
—Mike Bianchi, The Orlando Sentinel, 26 Feb. 2026
Wilson is sprawled out on a sand dune; Odom lays on a bed in an inn.
—Lori Waxman, Chicago Tribune, 25 Feb. 2026
She was sprawled out on the floor with scratches on her face.
—Nicholas Williams, New York Daily News, 22 Feb. 2026
Miles Bridges, along with Duren and Detroit’s Isaiah Stewart, got tossed out in the third quarter following a lengthy brawl that sprawled across nearly an entire half of the court.
—Roderick Boone, Charlotte Observer, 10 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for sprawled
Verb
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The agreement was initially five years and then was extended another five in 2021, ending July 1.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
13 Mar. 2026
-
In the end, none of it mattered, because one night later, the espresso-guzzling darlings of the tournament extended a helping hand.—
Zack Meisel,
New York Times,
12 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
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
-
As my kids became adolescents, our tastes diverged, yet music remained a bond that crossed our generational divide.—
Allison Tibaldi,
USA Today,
10 Mar. 2026
-
The Conversation’s politics editor Naomi Schalit interviewed former ambassador Donald Heflin, a veteran diplomat who now teaches at Tufts University’s Fletcher School, to understand how such situations are normally handled – and how the current situation diverged from longstanding practices.—
Donald Heflin,
The Conversation,
5 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
His hair flopped greasily over his ears.—
USA Today,
USA Today,
8 Mar. 2026
-
Jokic either fell or flopped — depending on who tells it — over the top of George four minutes into the game when the burgeoning Utah star tried the maneuver.—
Bennett Durando,
Denver Post,
5 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
The storms will be scattered, according to Doom, mostly near a warm front that is expected to cover the southern portion of the area.—
Madeline King,
Chicago Tribune,
9 Mar. 2026
-
At universities, the study of ancient Chinese texts has historically been scattered across disciplines; now, under government direction, universities are trying to gather that scholarship in new classics departments where, one theory goes, ancient truths can be nurtured and passed down.—
Chang Che,
New Yorker,
8 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Nearby, people and their dogs who had moved into the shelter for the duration of the war lounged on air mattresses, scrolling through their phones.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
2 Mar. 2026
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Just days after hard-launching her relationship with French filmmaker Romain Gavras, EmRata lounged in a plunging plush white robe while wearing nothing but some sparkling loud luxury accessories.—
Lara Walsh,
InStyle,
25 Feb. 2026
Verb
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While Vietnam radiated warmth as a whole, Cuba revealed its charm in smaller moments, like when the fun-loving construction workers in Havana lit up at gifts brought from the States.—
David Dickstein,
Oc Register,
11 Mar. 2026
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Hearts radiated from her headpiece to her hem, with a single heart placed near her pelvis.—
Anika Burgess,
New Yorker,
7 Mar. 2026
Verb
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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
-
Silk pajama pants slouched over Wales Bonner loafers.—
Tyler Matthew Oyer
Feb. 27,
Los Angeles Times,
27 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Sprawled.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sprawled. Accessed 16 Mar. 2026.
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