as in infectious
exciting a similar feeling or reaction in others
spreading enthusiasm that got our club rolling again
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
1
as in disseminating
to cause to be known over a considerable area or by many people
spread the news!
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in applying
to put a layer of on a surface
we spread the fertilizer over the lawn evenly until it was fully covered
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in circulating
to become known
once news of the war's end had spread, spontaneous celebrations broke out everywhere
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in transmitting
to cause (something) to pass from one to another
living conditions that help to spread chicken pox
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
5
as in separating
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
6
as in increasing
to become greater in size, extent, volume, amount, or number
dissatisfaction with the new administration is spreading rapidly
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of spreading
Lex Harvey, CNN Money, 8 May 2026
In spreading the wealth to a wider swath of hardware companies, investors are clearly betting that the bull market in AI has long legs and that data centers are going to need a wider array of advanced components for years to come.
—Samantha Subin, CNBC, 8 May 2026
As health officials have been doing all along, Spain's Secretary of State for Health Javier Padilla echoed the concern for hantavirus — even the Andes strain — spreading worldwide like COVID-19 is low.
—Mark Osborne, CBS News, 8 May 2026
Closing doors isolates fire and prevents smoke, heat and flames from spreading, officials said.
—Leonard Greene, New York Daily News, 8 May 2026
It was abandoned in 1961 and nature took its course, with brambles spreading and structures collapsing.
—Brian Boucher, ARTnews.com, 7 May 2026
In a post-COVID-19 world, headlines about a spreading respiratory virus can be jarring, to say the least.
—Mary Walrath-Holdridge, USA Today, 7 May 2026
The part where there's a problem is the FIFA president spreading incorrect information about ticket prices while standing to benefit a great deal from higher costs.
—Dan Zaksheske Outkick, FOXNews.com, 6 May 2026
From a Top 50 East Texas stand near Fort Worth to a Brooklyn debut from a Goldee’s founder, the smoke is spreading fast.
—Bud Kennedy, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 1 May 2026
Verb
But a few weeks into his vacation across the Atlantic Ocean, the Oregon doctor jumped into action caring for passengers after a deadly hantavirus outbreak began spreading through the ship, sickening the vessel’s doctor.
—Lex Harvey, CNN Money, 8 May 2026
In spreading the wealth to a wider swath of hardware companies, investors are clearly betting that the bull market in AI has long legs and that data centers are going to need a wider array of advanced components for years to come.
—Samantha Subin, CNBC, 8 May 2026
As health officials have been doing all along, Spain's Secretary of State for Health Javier Padilla echoed the concern for hantavirus — even the Andes strain — spreading worldwide like COVID-19 is low.
—Mark Osborne, CBS News, 8 May 2026
Closing doors isolates fire and prevents smoke, heat and flames from spreading, officials said.
—Leonard Greene, New York Daily News, 8 May 2026
It was abandoned in 1961 and nature took its course, with brambles spreading and structures collapsing.
—Brian Boucher, ARTnews.com, 7 May 2026
In a post-COVID-19 world, headlines about a spreading respiratory virus can be jarring, to say the least.
—Mary Walrath-Holdridge, USA Today, 7 May 2026
The part where there's a problem is the FIFA president spreading incorrect information about ticket prices while standing to benefit a great deal from higher costs.
—Dan Zaksheske Outkick, FOXNews.com, 6 May 2026
From a Top 50 East Texas stand near Fort Worth to a Brooklyn debut from a Goldee’s founder, the smoke is spreading fast.
—Bud Kennedy, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 1 May 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for spreading
Adjective
-
Larsson turned into something of a supernova for virality, whether for her vocal anti-Trump politics, her glittery Y2K style, or her infectious tour choreography.—
Craig Jenkins,
Vulture,
4 May 2026
-
Having Certain Health Conditions Several health conditions, including hormonal, nervous, infectious, and immune system disorders, can cause a dry mouth.—
Colleen Doherty,
Verywell Health,
2 May 2026
Verb
-
The mix seemed appropriate to higher education, which, after all, dedicates itself both to the very traditional act of conserving knowledge and to producing and disseminating fresh discoveries.—
Encyclopedia Britannica,
Encyclopedia Britannica,
22 Apr. 2026
-
The leadership also froze the agency’s other election security work, which included assessing local election offices for physical and cybersecurity risks, and disseminating sensitive intelligence information on threats.—
Doug Bock Clark,
ProPublica,
13 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
In closing, it should be mentioned that just as colchicine treatment results in seedless watermelons, mini-melons may also be a consequence of applying colchicine to watermelon seedlings, followed by a breeding process similar to that described above.—
Joshua Siskin,
Oc Register,
7 May 2026
-
As an additional step, Holm likes to quickly cleanse her eye area to get rid of any leftover mascara or liner before applying fresh makeup.—
Kara Nesvig,
Allure,
7 May 2026
Verb
-
When the dispute moved to the parking lot, witnesses said Hearne threw the first punch, and videos circulating online appeared to show the confrontation.—
JJ Velasquez,
San Antonio Express-News,
10 May 2026
-
This includes known viruses such as hantavirus, but also unknown pathogens circulating in nature.—
Eduardo Cuevas,
USA Today,
9 May 2026
Verb
-
According to Zuckerman’s study, the number of civilizations in the Milky Way that are both technologically advanced and actively transmitting may be fewer than 100,000—and possibly closer to 10,000.—
Rupendra Brahambhatt,
Interesting Engineering,
3 May 2026
-
While the ban on transmitting trail cams on public land was also divisive among Idaho hunters, there’s a reason it was included.—
Natalie Krebs,
Outdoor Life,
29 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Next, Butac arranges a bunch of the beans on two trays and roasts them for a specific amount of time before separating the shells from the beans and then running the bean fragments, also known as nibs, through a mill.—
Ari Daniel,
NPR,
10 May 2026
-
Still, robotics has a long history of inflated expectations, making many executives cautious about separating breakthrough potential from hype.—
Dr. Jonathan Reichental,
Forbes.com,
10 May 2026
Verb
-
This feeling of stasis is made all the more worrying by Ukraine’s increasing ability to strike inside Russia itself.—
Joshua Yaffa,
New Yorker,
8 May 2026
-
Verdier says the increasing regulation in the car industry and the push to move away from fossil fuels are part of the reason why Ferrari is so enthusiastic about this project.—
Andrew Rice,
New York Times,
7 May 2026
Verb
-
Fascism, then and now, is masterful at propagating and reinforcing its ideas through an aesthetic that captivates a large number of people.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
27 Apr. 2026
-
Avoid propagating plants that are actively flowering.—
Lauren Landers,
Better Homes & Gardens,
20 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Spreading.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/spreading. Accessed 12 May. 2026.
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