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
Sohel Uddin, CBS News, 17 Apr. 2026
Violence remains unpredictable and is increasingly spreading beyond the capital.
—Jacqueline Charles, Miami Herald, 17 Apr. 2026
This headline was incorrect and circulated on local social media, spreading misinformation.
—Naperville Sun, Chicago Tribune, 17 Apr. 2026
This is the simple process of spreading grass seed over an existing lawn to fill in bare patches and outcompete weeds.
—Nishaa Sharma, The Spruce, 17 Apr. 2026
This wouldn’t be the first time observers have witnessed strange waves of darkness spreading on Mars.
—Joseph Howlett, Scientific American, 17 Apr. 2026
Revere was one of two riders to leave Boston (with Dawes), and one of many messengers spreading the alarm.
—Kurt Snibbe, Oc Register, 17 Apr. 2026
Do keep the berries in a single layer, if possible, helps keep them dry, allows air to circulate, and prevents bacteria from spreading among the berries.
—Jessica Farthing, Southern Living, 10 Apr. 2026
In addition to spreading religious teachings, Bateman claimed that God spoke to him and pointed out wives that were meant to belong to him.
—Ct Jones, Rolling Stone, 10 Apr. 2026
Verb
That agreement, a 10-day pause between Israel and Lebanon, is part of a broader attempt to stop the conflict from spreading further.
—Sohel Uddin, CBS News, 17 Apr. 2026
Violence remains unpredictable and is increasingly spreading beyond the capital.
—Jacqueline Charles, Miami Herald, 17 Apr. 2026
This headline was incorrect and circulated on local social media, spreading misinformation.
—Naperville Sun, Chicago Tribune, 17 Apr. 2026
This is the simple process of spreading grass seed over an existing lawn to fill in bare patches and outcompete weeds.
—Nishaa Sharma, The Spruce, 17 Apr. 2026
This wouldn’t be the first time observers have witnessed strange waves of darkness spreading on Mars.
—Joseph Howlett, Scientific American, 17 Apr. 2026
Revere was one of two riders to leave Boston (with Dawes), and one of many messengers spreading the alarm.
—Kurt Snibbe, Oc Register, 17 Apr. 2026
Do keep the berries in a single layer, if possible, helps keep them dry, allows air to circulate, and prevents bacteria from spreading among the berries.
—Jessica Farthing, Southern Living, 10 Apr. 2026
In addition to spreading religious teachings, Bateman claimed that God spoke to him and pointed out wives that were meant to belong to him.
—Ct Jones, Rolling Stone, 10 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for spreading
Adjective
-
Their charisma was infectious and real, and their set served as another chapter in what will hopefully be a lengthy return to form.—
Jeff Miller,
Rolling Stone,
13 Apr. 2026
-
The joy is infectious in this image of mission pilot Victor Glover and mission specialist Christina Koch who soak in the moment while sitting together after splashing down on Friday (April 10).—
Chelsea Gohd,
Space.com,
13 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Sculptor and illustrator Jacques Tilly, who designed the aforementioned float, has been reported to the police for disseminating hate speech and violating the Criminal Code, which prohibits the use of Nazi imagery for purposes not expressly linked to art, scholarship, teaching, or reporting.—
Tim Brinkhof,
JSTOR Daily,
1 Apr. 2026
-
Printmaking and protest Printmaking was one early means of disseminating dissent, said Allison Rudnick, a curator at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City.—
Phaedra Trethan,
USA Today,
28 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
As of now, Imam has no plans to create a think tank or a second campus, even though those had seemed like good ideas when applying for the grant.—
Emma Green,
New Yorker,
17 Apr. 2026
-
In a separate but related order issued the same day, the court granted Lara’s motion to exceed the $1 million statutory cap on damages under Colorado’s Health Care Availability Act, finding that applying the cap would be unfair under the circumstances.—
Jessica Alvarado Gamez,
Denver Post,
17 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Video circulating on social media appears to show a confrontation before the shooting that seemed to involve a large group of people.—
Mirna Alsharif,
NBC news,
19 Apr. 2026
-
Local police too, have stated that false posts circulating in WhatsApp groups, including claims of worker deaths and exaggerated reports of violence and arrests, have contributed to the escalation of unrest.—
Mayu Saini,
Footwear News,
17 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
These devices are small, expendable sensors dropped into the ocean—usually from aircraft—that act like temporary underwater listening systems, capturing sound signals and transmitting them back for analysis.—
Prabhat Ranjan Mishra,
Interesting Engineering,
12 Apr. 2026
-
She is charged with one count of illegally communicating or transmitting national defense information, which is punishable by up to 10 years in prison if convicted.—
Jacob Rosen,
CBS News,
9 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Removing barriers The new facility seeks to provide more dignity for clients and remove barriers that keep victims from separating themselves from harmful environments, Mortensen said.—
Elliot Mann,
Twin Cities,
19 Apr. 2026
-
A lot of people have a hard time separating the actor from the character.—
CT Jones,
Rolling Stone,
19 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
South Korea is increasing generation at its nuclear plants and speeding up maintenance at five offline reactors, with restarts planned in May.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
17 Apr. 2026
-
Bolivia is low on cash after making more than $500 million in debt payments last month, increasing the urgency of reaching a deal with the International Monetary Fund.—
Sergio Mendoza,
Bloomberg,
16 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
That means that winemakers across what is now France must have switched from domesticating wild grapes to propagating them directly—that is, cloning grapevines by taking cuttings of the plants to start new groves.—
Jackie Flynn Mogensen,
Scientific American,
24 Mar. 2026
-
Here are two simple methods for propagating ZZ plants.—
SJ McShane,
Martha Stewart,
10 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Spreading.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/spreading. Accessed 21 Apr. 2026.
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