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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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of sprawled
Her Cornish Rex cat, Rabbit, is sprawled out on the floor, unconcerned by the two birds (Chicken and Charlie) chirping from an adjacent office or a colleague’s gray-haired cat next door, who seems to be causing a stir.
—
Chris Gardner, HollywoodReporter, 24 Oct. 2025
Back in the 1960s, there were a number of houses, maybe a dozen, Brayboy said, sprawled along the hillside that overlooked the historically Black neighborhood.
—Charlotte Observer, 24 Oct. 2025
He was sprawled out and motionless out of bounds near the 1-yard line for a couple of minutes.
—Steve Fryer, Oc Register, 24 Oct. 2025
Wild defender Jonas Brodin sprawled out to take away the cross-ice pass in front of Gustavsson.
—Jess Myers, Twin Cities, 18 Oct. 2025
When Ron takes a seat, the chair falls out from under him and breaks, leaving him dazed and sprawled on the floor.
—Ben Rosenstock, Vulture, 13 Oct. 2025
Sasaki was the necessary answer on Monday night, coming in to secure the final out and avoid disaster as Freddie Freeman sprawled out to grab Tommy Edman’s final throw to first base.
—Fabian Ardaya, New York Times, 7 Oct. 2025
While seven dogs can be seen sprawled across the floor and sofa, sound asleep, owner Erika Reiley’s cockapoo sits upright, watching in confusion.
—Lucy Notarantonio, MSNBC Newsweek, 3 Oct. 2025
Most mornings, Rensch would find the man sprawled naked on a bed, and would dutifully fix him the day’s first screwdriver.
—Louisa Thomas, New Yorker, 15 Sep. 2025
Chris Gardner, HollywoodReporter, 24 Oct. 2025
Back in the 1960s, there were a number of houses, maybe a dozen, Brayboy said, sprawled along the hillside that overlooked the historically Black neighborhood.
—Charlotte Observer, 24 Oct. 2025
He was sprawled out and motionless out of bounds near the 1-yard line for a couple of minutes.
—Steve Fryer, Oc Register, 24 Oct. 2025
Wild defender Jonas Brodin sprawled out to take away the cross-ice pass in front of Gustavsson.
—Jess Myers, Twin Cities, 18 Oct. 2025
When Ron takes a seat, the chair falls out from under him and breaks, leaving him dazed and sprawled on the floor.
—Ben Rosenstock, Vulture, 13 Oct. 2025
Sasaki was the necessary answer on Monday night, coming in to secure the final out and avoid disaster as Freddie Freeman sprawled out to grab Tommy Edman’s final throw to first base.
—Fabian Ardaya, New York Times, 7 Oct. 2025
While seven dogs can be seen sprawled across the floor and sofa, sound asleep, owner Erika Reiley’s cockapoo sits upright, watching in confusion.
—Lucy Notarantonio, MSNBC Newsweek, 3 Oct. 2025
Most mornings, Rensch would find the man sprawled naked on a bed, and would dutifully fix him the day’s first screwdriver.
—Louisa Thomas, New Yorker, 15 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for sprawled
Verb
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In 2013, Queen Elizabeth II posthumously pardoned Alan Turing, the World War II codebreaker convicted under laws criminalizing homosexuality, and in 2017 the UK government extended the pardon to thousands of other gay and bisexual men convicted under similar statutes.—
James Frater,
CNN Money,
31 Oct. 2025
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The promotion, for now is capped at $250,000, but could be extended, the company said.—
Cheryl V. Jackson,
IndyStar,
31 Oct. 2025
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
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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
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Trump weighs in on Netanyahu criminal case Trump diverged from his prepared remarks to the Knesset to call on Israel’s president to pardon Netanyahu, who faces three criminal charges.—
Kathryn Palmer,
USA Today,
13 Oct. 2025
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The films diverged from his usual filmography, and Condon reveled in that.—
Jessica Wang,
Entertainment Weekly,
2 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Lawrence has been open in past interviews about needing to take a two year break from Hollywood after making 16 movies in six years, a string of which flopped at the box office and only inflamed the public’s negative reception of her.—
Zack Sharf,
Variety,
27 Oct. 2025
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In one second-quarter stretch, Smart checked in, hit a jumper, flopped to draw an offensive foul on Curry, then hooked his arm around Curry’s shoulder and wrestled the Warriors star to the floor, earning him a flagrant 1 foul and prompting a celebration from Horford.—
Zack Cox,
Boston Herald,
23 Oct. 2025
Verb
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The allure is, of course, obvious — a private members’ club for creative elites with chic hotels and restaurants scattered across major international cities.—
Rachel DeSantis,
PEOPLE,
29 Oct. 2025
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When people think of Jordan, images of bubble tents scattered across the desert, cinematic scenes from Dune, and the sandstone city of Petra, one of the world’s wonders, might come to mind.—
Essence,
Essence,
28 Oct. 2025
Verb
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In that pic, Fletcher lounged on the end, giving a thumbs up.—
Andy Greder,
Twin Cities,
23 Oct. 2025
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As the action took place, the fashionable crowd lounged on the beautifully landscaped outdoor dining area, grazing on the pies and taking pictures of the sea.—
Jacqui Gifford,
Travel + Leisure,
29 Sep. 2025
Verb
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The science author Stuart Clark notes that the concept was nonsensical to contemporary scientists, who assumed that magnetism could not break free from a magnet and that the Sun’s energy radiated equally across its surface.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
27 Oct. 2025
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The self-reflective tone marks a thematic shift for a band whose debut radiated a cool irony, pulling emotional punches in favor of observations centered around mid-20s delusion.—
Sophie Williams,
Billboard,
10 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Engage the core to help keep the lower spine curvature neutral and not rounded or slouched.—
Mark Gurarie,
Verywell Health,
7 Oct. 2025
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Bichette, the bat taken out of his hand, slouched back to the bench.—
Mitch Bannon,
New York Times,
2 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Sprawled.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sprawled. Accessed 4 Nov. 2025.
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