SPREADS Synonyms: 248 Similar and Opposite Words

spreads 1 of 2

verb

present tense third-person singular of spread

as in disseminates

to cause to be known over a considerable area or by many people spread the news!

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Relevance

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as in applies

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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as in circulates

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

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as in transmits

to cause (something) to pass from one to another living conditions that help to spread chicken pox

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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

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as in increases

to become greater in size, extent, volume, amount, or number dissatisfaction with the new administration is spreading rapidly

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spreads

2 of 2

noun

plural of spread

as in quilts

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

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as in dinners

a large fancy meal often accompanied by ceremony or entertainment they really know how to put out a good spread

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as in expanses

a wide space or area a vast spread of land just waiting to be settled

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as in ranges

the distance or extent between possible extremes the spread of grades was from 15 to 79 on that quiz

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as in distances

the space or amount of space between two points, lines, surfaces, or objects a spread of nearly 100 miles between farms

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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 spreads

Verb

The disease, which spreads through bites and scratches from infected animals, is most commonly carried by bats, foxes, raccoons and skunks. — Gagandeep Singh, Sacbee.com, 15 Sep. 2026 Rabies spreads through the saliva of an infected animal, usually through a bite. — Nayara Batschke, Los Angeles Times, 15 Sep. 2026 The meeting's postponement shows how difficult that diplomacy has become as the conflict spreads. — Brittney Melton, NPR, 14 Sep. 2026 The average consumer today spreads their finances across five to seven accounts. — Jess Turner, Forbes.com, 14 Sep. 2026 Measles symptoms typically appear within one to two weeks and can include a high fever, a cough, runny nose and red eyes, white dots inside the mouth and a rash that starts on the face and spreads down the body, health officials said. — Nathan Pilling, Kansas City Star, 14 Sep. 2026 Once personal information spreads to people-search sites and data brokers, cutting down those profiles can help put some distance between you and anyone trying to build a convincing story around your life. — Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 10 Sep. 2026 Rather than relying on one generation source, the plan spreads the capacity across three projects with different roles and development timelines. — Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 10 Sep. 2026 Stiltgrass spreads quickly, outcompetes native plants, and disrupts ecosystems by reducing biodiversity. — Nadia Hassani, The Spruce, 9 Sep. 2026

Noun

The crack spreads are the refiners' margins have never been wider. — Michael Khouw, CNBC, 14 Sep. 2026 Carter is also more than a photographer who has shot fashion spreads for Vogue, Valentino and Ralph Lauren, or whose portraiture has been featured on the covers of Essence and GQ. — Jason Parham, Los Angeles Times, 11 Sep. 2026 The Hurricanes are favored by almost two Rutgers-UMass spreads. — Steven Louis Goldstein, New York Times, 9 Sep. 2026 Physical gold bars and coins, for example, generally make more sense as longer-term holdings because dealer premiums and buy-sell spreads can make frequent trading expensive. — Angelica Leicht, CBS News, 9 Sep. 2026 Falling 10-year Treasury yields, cooling inflation and lower mortgage spreads could help mortgage rates fall enough to meet this goal. — Faith Wakefield, USA Today, 3 Sep. 2026 Seven full spreads were devoted to what was best (biker, military) and what was worst (bandage, bras). — Derek C. Blasberg, Vanity Fair, 27 Aug. 2026 Breakfast is a limited buffet of eggs, fruit, spreads, and breads. — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 25 Aug. 2026 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

Recent Examples of Synonyms for spreads

Verb

But the way social media disseminates words and images means that young people often share the same cultural icons and influences in ways unimaginable 50 years ago.

— Laurent Belsie, Christian Science Monitor, 18 July 2026
Irrespective of how the threat is made, the agency's Protective Intelligence division examines and disseminates general threat intelligence to the entire agency.

— Donald J. Mihalek, ABC News, 27 Apr. 2026

Definition of disseminates

Verb

This also applies to a free-agent acquisition like free-agent winger Vladimir Tarasenko, who (incredibly) remains a free agent at this time.

— Allan Mitchell, New York Times, 9 Sep. 2026
Judge Louis will consider whether the treaty applies to the case and determine if the evidence establishes probable cause.

— Bill Chappell, NPR, 9 Sep. 2026

Definition of applies

Verb

As the warm water sits still at the top, oxygen no longer circulates to the bottom.

— Noah Haggerty, Los Angeles Times, 11 Sep. 2026
After washing, the appliance can move through steam sanitization and hot-air drying before entering a 72-hour antibacterial storage mode, which circulates filtered air to help keep cleaned parts dry and ready for use.

— New Atlas, New Atlas, 9 Sep. 2026

Definition of circulates

Verb

The sender entangles its light field with the hologram’s light field and transmits the resulting signal.

— IEEE Spectrum, IEEE Spectrum, 2 Sep. 2026
Airport malaria is a very rare form of the disease’s transmission and occurs when a mosquito survives a flight from a malaria-endemic country and transmits the disease at or near the airport.

— Sophie Tanno, CNN Money, 27 Aug. 2026

Definition of transmits

Verb

Why wouldn’t the players want a system that pays them a larger share of the overall revenue, increases their salary minimums and gives them earlier access to arbitration eligibility and free agency?

— Jim Bowden, New York Times, 15 Sep. 2026
Even people who carry the APOE4 gene, which increases the risk of later-in-life Alzheimer’s, still benefited from a healthier middle age.

— Lauran Neergaard, Los Angeles Times, 15 Sep. 2026

Definition of increases

Noun

Its patchwork patterns are reminiscent of antique quilts with plenty of Southern charm, and they’re printed and stitched in sections along the length of the quilt.

— Caley Sturgill, Southern Living, 1 July 2026
Better Homes & Gardens Stripe Chambray Quilt Cotton quilts typically have three layers; the two thin outer layers can wick away moisture and provide a cooling effect, which is why this chambray quilt is the perfect summer layer for your bed.

— Stephanie Osmanski, Better Homes & Gardens, 19 May 2026

Definition of quilts

Noun

Here, the perks get a further upgrade to Elemis toiletries, fancier towels and drinks, and special dinners under the stars.

— Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 9 Sep. 2026
Language itself was an obsession, with many family dinners ending with Davis pulling out his unabridged Oxford English Dictionary to share the derivation of a word.

— Glenn Whipp, Los Angeles Times, 9 Sep. 2026