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
Screenshots of these AIs at work spread across the Internet like postcards from the future, addressed to everyone who still believed that cyberattacks require skill. Deni Ellis Béchard, Scientific American, 7 May 2025 Divide the shells among plates and spread a thin layer of warmed refried bean on top. Gretchen McKay, Twin Cities, 7 May 2025
Noun
As for the actual experience, guests will be treated to a lavish spread at Epcot’s new lounge, GEO-82, located inside the park's iconic geodesic sphere that’s also home to its classic Spaceship Earth attraction. Natalia Senanayake, People.com, 6 May 2025 This is believed to be the first instance of mammal to human spread of the H5N1 strain. Mary Kekatos, ABC News, 5 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for spread
Recent Examples of Synonyms for spread
Noun
  • From breezy comforters to quilts, Parachute Home has an extensive line of all-natural essentials that have established their reputation as an authority in organic bedding and a favorite brand of ours.
    Nashia Baker, Architectural Digest, 8 May 2025
  • American women have long used quilts to send messages to lawmakers, from abolitionists and suffragettes to the AIDS Memorial quilt.
    Trevor Hughes, USA Today, 7 May 2025
Noun
  • Ahead of Mother's Day dinners, people often invite and take their grandmothers, grandfathers and whoever else wants to come.
    Amaris Encinas, USA Today, 11 May 2025
  • One solution: Make a dinner reservation at Sullivan’s new eatery Judith.
    Jennifer Stewart Kornegay, Southern Living, 10 May 2025
Noun
  • New York’s expansive use of eminent domain needed and still needs reining in, not expansion.
    New York Daily News Editorial Board, New York Daily News, 11 May 2025
  • The explosions in Amritsar - the first heard there in the three-day-old conflict between the nuclear-armed neighbors - could mark a further expansion in the hostilities that have alarmed world powers.
    USA Today, USA Today, 11 May 2025
Noun
  • Fans have interpreted Murderbot as asexual, gender-fluid and on the autism spectrum.
    Daniel Fienberg, HollywoodReporter, 12 May 2025
  • But that can really coexist on both sides of the political spectrum.
    Sean Illing, Vox, 12 May 2025
Noun
  • Our aim was to collapse the distance between the audience and the story.
    Jeryl Brunner, Forbes.com, 17 May 2025
  • Through the Truist Championship, his average driving distance is 318.6 yards (320.2 yards in full 2024 season, 326.3 yards in full 2023 season) and his driving accuracy percentage is 51.80% (60.29% in full 2024 season, 53.25% in full 2023 season).
    Julio Cesar Valdera Morales, MSNBC Newsweek, 17 May 2025
Noun
  • He was later accompanied by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman to a state banquet dinner.
    Callum Sutherland, Time, 16 May 2025
  • The induction banquet will take place at the Watsco Center, where Rice played.
    Michelle Kaufman, Miami Herald, 16 Apr. 2025
Noun
  • On Florida’s Forgotten Coast, life moves slower and long expanses remain unmarred by development.
    Carrie Honaker, Travel + Leisure, 6 May 2025
  • In February, the president ordered the federal government to dramatically scale back the functions of the Presidio Trust, which was established by Representative Nancy Pelosi and oversees a popular expanse with stunning views of the Golden Gate Bridge.
    Heather Knight, New York Times, 6 May 2025
Noun
  • Specifically, researchers discovered a link between a heart failure diagnosis and having problems with a broad range of mental processes, such as memory, paying attention, and planning.
    Kaitlin Sullivan, Health, 16 May 2025
  • Today, these models are constantly changing, from text-centric tools to multimodal solutions that can work with a much wider range of file data, including images, videos, sound and more.
    Nick Burling, Forbes.com, 15 May 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Spread.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/spread. Accessed 22 May. 2025.

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