1
as in extending
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 sitting
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 sprawling
One tall form is the Maximilian sunflower — growing to eight feet or higher — and a lower-growing sprawling beach sunflower.
—
Tom MacCubbin, The Orlando Sentinel, 10 May 2026
The sprawling property has 31 rooms in the main building, plus 11 bungalows and eight barnlike cabins.
—Priyanka Mattoo, Travel + Leisure, 10 May 2026
In Harris’ absence, the sprawling field of candidates has been a good and healthy thing, yielding the most competitive California gubernatorial contest in a quarter century.
—Los Angeles Times, 10 May 2026
Both the dining room and a sprawling back patio were full at midafternoon on a Saturday.
—Bud Kennedy, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 10 May 2026
Dozens of urban artists from 17 countries have converged on one of Europe's most important industrial landmarks for a show that takes advantage of the former ironworks' sprawling spaces and aura of abandonment.
—ABC News, 9 May 2026
The whole thing is quintessentially Tyler—concerned with the greater good, ambitious, a bit impatient, and looked after by a sprawling web of family and friends.
—New York Daily News, 9 May 2026
But your questions for ChatGPT or Claude aren’t likely to be generated from a server in someone’s walk-in closet or basement soon, with those deep interactions with AI still require sprawling data centers.
—Kevin Williams, CNBC, 9 May 2026
The performance followed similar shows by Madonna in 2024 and Lady Gaga last year, which also were attended by huge crowds that danced on the sprawling sands.
—CBS News, 3 May 2026
Tom MacCubbin, The Orlando Sentinel, 10 May 2026
The sprawling property has 31 rooms in the main building, plus 11 bungalows and eight barnlike cabins.
—Priyanka Mattoo, Travel + Leisure, 10 May 2026
In Harris’ absence, the sprawling field of candidates has been a good and healthy thing, yielding the most competitive California gubernatorial contest in a quarter century.
—Los Angeles Times, 10 May 2026
Both the dining room and a sprawling back patio were full at midafternoon on a Saturday.
—Bud Kennedy, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 10 May 2026
Dozens of urban artists from 17 countries have converged on one of Europe's most important industrial landmarks for a show that takes advantage of the former ironworks' sprawling spaces and aura of abandonment.
—ABC News, 9 May 2026
The whole thing is quintessentially Tyler—concerned with the greater good, ambitious, a bit impatient, and looked after by a sprawling web of family and friends.
—New York Daily News, 9 May 2026
But your questions for ChatGPT or Claude aren’t likely to be generated from a server in someone’s walk-in closet or basement soon, with those deep interactions with AI still require sprawling data centers.
—Kevin Williams, CNBC, 9 May 2026
The performance followed similar shows by Madonna in 2024 and Lady Gaga last year, which also were attended by huge crowds that danced on the sprawling sands.
—CBS News, 3 May 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for sprawling
Verb
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Small adjustments made big differences, like increasing pocket sizes to better fit the tennis balls and, with Sabet’s suggestion, extending her coat to the floor.—
Kaio Cesar,
Los Angeles Times,
11 May 2026
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Mominul followed his 91 with 56 in the second innings, extending his rich form with five half-centuries in a row and became the Bangladesh batter to reach 5,000 runs.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
11 May 2026
Verb
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It’s located a little more than 30 minutes east of Tampa, sitting farther inland than Land O’ Lakes.—
Megan Vaz,
Sun Sentinel,
8 May 2026
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Most nursing school graduates are routinely approved, but over the past three years, the board has stopped hundreds of people with diplomas from Operation Nightingale schools from sitting for the exam.—
Annie Martin,
The Orlando Sentinel,
8 May 2026
Verb
-
In markets, Asian stocks are diverging while European futures are pointing firmly lower.—
Katie Foley,
CNBC,
12 May 2026
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The Strait of Hormuz closure and resulting gas price shocks became additional talking points for both sides, though from diverging perspectives.—
Chaewon Chung
April 29,
Sacbee.com,
29 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Much of the discussion following the game is about flopping and supposed favorable whistles for the Thunder.—
Jon Root OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
8 May 2026
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Suggs set the tone for the series in the opening quarter of Game 1, disrupting Pistons passes, sinking a pair of 3-pointers and belly-flopping to the floor to collect a loose basketball.—
Josh Robbins,
New York Times,
1 May 2026
Verb
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Officials said the department is expanding coordination with the Department of Health and Human Services to include parents above that threshold.—
Sarah Rumpf-Whitten,
FOXNews.com,
8 May 2026
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That means expanding solar on city facilities and exploring innovative energy options to reduce emissions and long-term costs.—
David Garrick,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
7 May 2026
Verb
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The bear was eventually hit with a dart and fell asleep on top of a cinder block wall dividing two properties, its body straddling either side.—
Terry Castleman,
Los Angeles Times,
4 May 2026
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The gubernatorial candidates are straddling Trump in some kind of uneasy peace.—
Joe Battenfeld,
Boston Herald,
25 Apr. 2026
Verb
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That required segmenting the coil and inserting electronics within it to keep it from radiating its energy away like an antenna.—
IEEE Spectrum,
IEEE Spectrum,
30 Apr. 2026
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On the ceiling, where the nave and transept intersect, there will be a depiction of the Holy Spirit as a dove with radiating light and flames.—
Victoria Le,
Oc Register,
26 Apr. 2026
Verb
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In one version of the game, guests took turns squatting to grab a paper bag or box with their teeth.—
Lily Hautau,
CNN Money,
3 May 2026
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To avoid straining, and therefore hemorrhoids, people can prop their feet up on stools or even stacks of old magazines to create more of a squatting position than sitting on toilets typically creates, Qureshi said.—
Kaitlin Sullivan,
NBC news,
29 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Sprawling.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sprawling. Accessed 14 May. 2026.
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