spread (out)

verb

Definition of spread (out)next
as in to expand
to arrange the parts of (something) over a wider area let's spread the puzzle out on the floor and see what we've got

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for spread (out)
  1. expand
  2. extend
  3. open
  4. unfold
Verb
  • Abarca also wants to expand affordable housing options in Jackson County, invest in law enforcement and support local businesses.
    — Ilana Arougheti, Kansas City Star, 25 July 2026
  • Protesters blame Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan and demand his resignation, but the demonstrations have since expanded into a wider anger over government accountability, spreading to other cities.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 25 July 2026
Definition of expand
Verb
  • The lessons Thomas wanted his daughters to learn now extend beyond his own family.
    — Kansas City Star, Kansas City Star, 26 July 2026
  • This is a pilot program, and unless Congress extends the availability, children born in other years cannot receive the starter sum.
    — Erik Sherman, Forbes.com, 26 July 2026
Definition of extend
Verb
  • Summerland Cafe is the first concept to open at the farmers market, which will have a variety of stalls featuring local growers, butchers and other food businesses once it debuts.
    — Olivia Wakim, AJC.com, 25 July 2026
  • Haltom’s Jewelers, which opened its first Fort Worth store in 1905 and moved to Sundance Square in 1988, closing all three locations in 2024.
    — Fort Worth Star-Telegram, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 25 July 2026
Definition of open
Verb
  • But its most significant impacts may unfold hundreds of miles away in the mid-Atlantic.
    — Briana Waxman, CNN Money, 23 July 2026
  • For every headline about AI writing code, there’s a different story unfolding underneath it.
    — Becky Frankiewicz, Fortune, 22 July 2026
Definition of unfold
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Browse Nearby Words

spreading (out)
spread (out)
spreads
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Spread (out).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/spread%20%28out%29. Accessed 26 Jul. 2026.

Copy Citation
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of aerie

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

Democracy or Republic: What's the difference?

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Do you 'say your piece' or 'say your peace'?

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat

The Longest Long Words List

Ten Words Ending with a Silent ‘T’

The Words of the Week - Jul 24

Why do we say 'fly off the handle'?
See More

Popular

See More

Democracy or Republic: What's the difference?

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat

The Longest Long Words List
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
chain-question-mark
Missing Link Quiz July 2026 Five seconds to figure out the word that fits bot...
See All