Synonyms of spreads

spreads 1 of 2

verb

present tense third-person singular of spread

1

as in disseminates

to cause to be known over a considerable area or by many people

spread the news!

Synonyms & Similar Words

• disseminates
• propagates
• circulates
• broadcasts
• imparts
• transmits
• dispenses
• diffuses
• communicates
• passes (on)
• conveys
• radiates
• disperses
• sprawls
• dissipates
• sows
• scatters

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• holds (in)
• hides
• conceals
• obscures
• masks
• secretes
• contains
• restricts
• limits
• enshrouds
• cloaks
• shrouds
• veils

2

as in applies

to put a layer of on a surface

we spread the fertilizer over the lawn evenly until it was fully covered

Synonyms & Similar Words

• applies
• smears
• lays
• sheets
• lays on
• coats
• layers
• anoints
• dabs
• covers
• plasters
• slathers
• blankets
• overspreads
• surfaces
• carpets
• overlays
• bedaubs
• besmears
• daubs
• overlies
• mantles

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• exposes
• uncovers
• strips
• peels
• bares

3

as in circulates

to become known

once news of the war's end had spread, spontaneous celebrations broke out everywhere

Synonyms & Similar Words

• circulates
• unfolds
• breaks
• reveals
• leaks (out)
• comes out
• tells
• gets out
• outs
• develops
• gets around
• gets about
• gets round
• discloses
• transpires
• spills

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• suppresses
• hides
• masks
• conceals
• disguises
• hushes (up)
• secretes

4

as in transmits

to cause (something) to pass from one to another

living conditions that help to spread chicken pox

Synonyms & Similar Words

• transmits
• gives
• conveys
• propagates
• disseminates
• communicates
• imparts
• transfers
• conducts
• delivers
• transfuses
• diffuses
• turns over
• infects
• broadcasts
• surrenders
• contaminates
• hands over
• poisons
• hands down
• hands on

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• catches
• contracts
• comes down (with)

5

as in parts

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

• parts
• divides
• diverges
• separates
• retreats
• scatters
• branches (out)
• forks
• dissipates
• distributes
• disperses
• dispels
• broadcasts
• sows
• disbands
• recedes
• clears out
• distances
• bestrews
• breaks up

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• joins
• converges
• meets
• gathers
• assembles

6

as in increases

to become greater in size, extent, volume, amount, or number

dissatisfaction with the new administration is spreading rapidly

Synonyms & Similar Words

• increases
• rises
• expands
• swells
• accelerates
• climbs
• multiplies
• proliferates
• intensifies
• accumulates
• waxes
• enlarges
• escalates
• mushrooms
• rolls up
• snowballs
• mounts
• gains
• surges
• builds up
• burgeons
• booms
• jumps
• appreciates
• balloons
• heightens
• distends
• skyrockets
• inflates
• redoubles
• rockets
• puffs (up)
• peaks
• bulks
• crests
• blows up
• crescendoes

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• decreases
• diminishes
• recedes
• wanes
• lessens
• contracts
• dwindles

spreads

2 of 2

noun

plural of spread

1

as in quilts

a decorative cloth used as a top covering for a bed

bought a brightly colored spread for summer

Synonyms & Similar Words

• quilts
• coverlets
• bedspreads
• puffs
• bedcovers
• clothes
• counterpanes
• haps
• comforters
• bedclothes
• beddings

2

as in dinners

a large fancy meal often accompanied by ceremony or entertainment

they really know how to put out a good spread

Synonyms & Similar Words

• dinners
• banquets
• feasts
• feeds
• barbecues
• festivals
• regales
• roasts
• galas
• tables
• festivities
• repasts
• chow
• blowouts
• parties
• messes
• carnivals
• fetes
• buffets
• fries
• luncheons
• shindigs
• cookouts
• smorgasbords
• clambakes
• luaus

3

as in expanses

a wide space or area

a vast spread of land just waiting to be settled

Synonyms & Similar Words

• expanses
• expansions
• stretches
• reaches
• sheets
• distances
• plains
• lengths
• wastes
• breadths
• sweeps
• fields
• depths
• extents
• territories
• domains
• scales
• spans
• spheres
• spectra
• voids
• ranges
• extensions
• scopes
• magnitudes
• gamuts
• amplitudes
• latitudes
• compasses
• immensities

4

as in ranges

the distance or extent between possible extremes

the spread of grades was from 15 to 79 on that quiz

Synonyms & Similar Words

• ranges
• scales
• stretches
• spectra
• reaches
• gamuts
• diapasons
• widths
• sweeps
• measures
• pitches
• dimensions
• scopes
• realms
• extents
• amplitudes
• compasses
• ambits

5

as in distances

the space or amount of space between two points, lines, surfaces, or objects

a spread of nearly 100 miles between farms

Synonyms & Similar Words

• distances
• stretches
• removes
• widths
• spacings
• leads
• lengths
• heights
• spaces
• ways
• areas
• reaches
• rises
• throws
• sweeps
• falls
• volumes
• depths
• extensions
• altitudes
• ranges
• drops
• hauls
• flights
• casts
• breadths
• shots
• clearances
• extents
• scopes
• berths

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of spreads

Verb

In July, the US was hit with a wave of explosive diarrhea caused by an outbreak of cyclospora, a parasite that spreads through food and water tainted with human feces. — Maggie Harrison Dupré, Futurism, 20 Aug. 2026

As the outbreak spreads and kills people faster than any other outbreak of the disease in history, a major source of concern for monitoring efforts is miners constantly on the move and in hard-to-reach, unsafe territories. — ABC News, 19 Aug. 2026

But small, consistent steps from parents can meaningfully reduce how often illness spreads through a family during the school year. — Ashley Lynch, Kansas City Star, 18 Aug. 2026

Ebola spreads through direct contact with the bodily fluids of infected people, living or dead. — CNN Money, 17 Aug. 2026

West Nile virus spreads through the bites of infected mosquitoes. — Jessie Baltaxe, CBS News, 13 Aug. 2026

But when strange, dangerous things begin to happen to the sleeping clientele, Penny must uncover the mystery before the nightmare spreads beyond the store. — Matt Grobar, Deadline, 12 Aug. 2026

For too many companies, riding the AI wave has become an AI hunger game that spreads fear rather than engagement. — Mark Ma, The Conversation, 12 Aug. 2026

Effective practice never spreads, as what works for one employee stays trapped inside that employee. — Nohar Zmora, Forbes.com, 10 Aug. 2026

Noun

Then there's the fact that betting in the NFL is primarily on point spreads, not simply winners and losers. — Ian Miller Outkick, FOXNews.com, 17 Aug. 2026

While the arrangement could provide top-line benefits across Goldman's businesses through structuring fees, interest income, and secondary trading spreads, investors should treat any upside scenario with caution. — Morgan Chittum, CNBC, 14 Aug. 2026

Equity indices are near highs, credit spreads are tight, and the consensus economic forecast still describes a soft landing that has already landed. — Jason Kirsch, Forbes.com, 12 Aug. 2026

But as big productions left Los Angeles, the golf course became a backdrop mostly for commercials, magazine spreads and social media shoots. — Cerys Davies, Los Angeles Times, 10 Aug. 2026

As optimism spreads, an investment boom—the next stage—develops, much of it facilitated by credit expansion, and the repercussions are felt in the broader economy. — John Cassidy, New Yorker, 10 Aug. 2026

The strongest shaking is concentrated around the epicenter northwest of Cali and extends toward the Pacific coast, while weaker shaking spreads toward Medellín, Bogotá and surrounding regions. — Nicole Acevedo, NBC news, 10 Aug. 2026

For CFOs, that's a clearer signal on whether current spreads reflect true borrowing risk or a measurement quirk when timing debt issuance. — Sheryl Estrada, Fortune, 5 Aug. 2026

Boards feature a selection of artisan meats, cheeses, seasonal fruit, olives, nuts, spreads and more. — Rick West, Chicago Tribune, 3 Aug. 2026