Synonyms of sprawling

sprawling

verb

present participle of sprawl

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.

Related Words

• extending
• diverging
• expanding
• radiating
• dividing
• branching
• scattering
• spreading (out)
• splaying
• increasing
• parting
• proliferating
• swelling
• fanning (out)
• separating
• rising
• mushrooming
• dispersing
• escalating
• climbing
• mounting
• enlarging
• multiplying
• forking
• diffusing
• dispensing
• rolling up
• snowballing
• raying
• dissipating
• waxing
• sowing
• gaining

Dissimilar Words

• containing
• limiting
• restricting
• contracting
• diminishing
• decreasing
• dwindling
• focusing
• receding
• waning
• converging
• lessening
• meeting
• joining
• concentrating
• funneling

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.

Related Words

• sitting
• flopping
• straddling
• spreading (out)
• stretching (out)
• squatting
• lounging
• resting
• relaxing
• slouching
• reclining
• plopping
• setting
• lying back
• plunking
• lolling
• basking
• plumping
• reposing
• planking
• flumping
• kicking back
• perching
• opening
• expanding
• unfurling
• splaying
• unfolding
• extending
• flaring (out)
• fanning (out)
• outstretching
• outspreading

Dissimilar Words

• standing
• rising
• arising
• getting up

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of sprawling

Thankfully renamed from the original French nickname of Hog Island, this sprawling island park is bigger and older than Central Park. — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 31 July 2026

This sister restaurant of a Philadelphia institution has a sprawling menu with something for everybody, and the Spice plan reflects that. — Connie Ogle july 31, Miami Herald, 31 July 2026

McCusker and Marquise, the closest thing this shifting and sprawling ensemble has to main characters, are allowed barely any room to be individuals with their own motives or personalities. — Angie Han, HollywoodReporter, 30 July 2026

Before New York became a sprawling metropolis, its rolling hills, deep valleys, and tidal salt marshes were part of a larger estuarine ecosystem that was home to countless flora and fauna. — Francesca Aton, ARTnews.com, 30 July 2026

Perennially frail, sick, and gaunt, the ambient guitar composer had devoted his life to a sprawling catalog, some 40 albums wide, that resembles a matchstick model of paradise. — Jazz Monroe, Pitchfork, 30 July 2026

One single favorite celebration cake to represent sprawling, diverse Los Angeles. — Carolynn Carreño, Los Angeles Times, 29 July 2026

The sprawling business model that competitors once envied had become a liability—unwieldy, capital-intensive, and increasingly unable to compete in focused, fast-moving markets. — Shawn Tully, Fortune, 23 July 2026

While other dining halls remain open, the installation's sprawling footprint can make traveling across the base difficult. — Steven Beynon, ABC News, 23 July 2026