spread 1 of 3

1
2
as in to apply
to put a layer of on a surface we spread the fertilizer over the lawn evenly until it was fully covered

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3
as in to circulate
to become known once news of the war's end had spread, spontaneous celebrations broke out everywhere

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4
5
as in to divide
to go or move in different directions from a central point the walls of the old barn spread under the weight of the snow on the roof

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6

spread

2 of 3

noun

1
as in quilt
a decorative cloth used as a top covering for a bed bought a brightly colored spread for summer

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2
3
4
as in spectrum
the distance or extent between possible extremes the spread of grades was from 15 to 79 on that quiz

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5

spread (out)

3 of 3

verb (2)

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

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Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of spread
Verb
Hunger has spread in Gaza, with UN agencies warning of impending famine without a drastic scaling up of aid entering the territory and being distributed across it. Tim Lister, CNN Money, 31 May 2025 Symptoms often begins with tingling and weakness in the feet and legs that spreads to the upper body and arms, though some people notice the first symptoms in the arms or face. Toria Sheffield, People.com, 31 May 2025
Noun
By the numbers: The startup currently partners with over 30 financial institutions in Latin America and earns money through transaction fees and FX spreads. Ryan Lawler, Axios, 28 May 2025 Shelves are stocked with intriguing ingredients, sauces and spreads, also available from the San Juan online store. Leslie Kelly, Forbes.com, 21 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for spread
Recent Examples of Synonyms for spread
Noun
  • Featuring knit and crochet items, baby quilts, floral arrangements, jewelry and wooden crafts.
    Joe Rassel, The Orlando Sentinel, 4 June 2025
  • Both the pad and the quilt, however, are extra items that the user has to carry in what is likely already a cramped backpack.
    New Atlas, New Atlas, 3 June 2025
Noun
  • Many of the largest dahlias, sometimes called dinner plate dahlias, are in the late-blooming category.
    Andy Wilcox, Better Homes & Gardens, 3 June 2025
  • She was recently spotted out to dinner with Selena Gomez and enjoying a date night with Kelce.
    Megan Cartwright, MSNBC Newsweek, 3 June 2025
Noun
  • The 54-year-old already was overseeing a $60 billion expansion of the parks business before Abu Dhabi — Disney’s first new park since 2016 — was announced in May.
    Peter Kiefer, HollywoodReporter, 4 June 2025
  • The two-story, 135,000-square-foot expansion, designed by Generator Studio, will double the size of the facility and is expected to bring up to 1.5 million people through its doors annually, according to team estimates.
    Phil Thompson, Chicago Tribune, 4 June 2025
Noun
  • Finally, jamming-resistant links need spectrum licences, custom SIM provisioning, or pirate base-stations smuggled in-country.
    Harry Law, Time, 5 June 2025
  • The most common color for auroras is green, as the human eye is most sensitive to green in the visible color spectrum.
    Kenna Hughes-Castleberry, Space.com, 5 June 2025
Noun
  • Keep a distance from tall, solitary trees or other elevated structures.
    NC Weather Bot, Charlotte Observer, 9 June 2025
  • The difference is as vast as the straight-line distance of 6,882 miles between Pittsburgh and the Eagles’ home in Daejeon, South Korea.
    Chuck Murr, Forbes.com, 9 June 2025
Noun
  • Every day, members of the kibbutz gathered in a banquet hall to hear updates about neighbors who had been kidnapped or murdered or were still missing.
    Eyal Press, New Yorker, 9 June 2025
  • While attending a state banquet during their visit, the Dutch royals gave President Pavel and his wife the Order of the Dutch Lion and the Order of the Royal Household. Can't get enough of PEOPLE's Royals coverage?
    Greta Bjornson, People.com, 4 June 2025
Noun
  • The highest per capita death toll occurred in Yancey County, a rural expanse in the rugged Black Mountains of North Carolina devastated by flash flooding and landslides.
    Jennifer Berry Hawes, ProPublica, 21 May 2025
  • Meanwhile the darker expanses of Oceanus Procellarum (Ocean of Storms) and the surrounding lunar maria (which is Latin for seas) will dominate the north west of the moon's tidally locked disk, according to NASA.
    Anthony Wood, Space.com, 19 May 2025
Noun
  • At O’Neill Burke’s request, Cook County Chief Judge Tim Evans granted her prosecutors rapid access to a far broader range of records on criminal defendants than had long been the case.
    The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 8 June 2025
  • That Apple can support the M1 chipset some five years down the line and bring the full range of new tools, including the latest generative AI suite, should not come as a surprise.
    Ewan Spence, Forbes.com, 8 June 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Spread.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/spread. Accessed 13 Jun. 2025.

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