spreads 1 of 2

Definition of spreadsnext
present tense third-person singular of spread
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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

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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spreads

2 of 2

noun

plural of spread
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as in quilts
a decorative cloth used as a top covering for a bed bought a brightly colored spread for summer

Synonyms & Similar Words

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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

Synonyms & Similar Words

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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
Success spreads Successful small businesses are the lifeblood of the economy. Medora Lee, USA Today, 3 May 2026 Once the disease spreads to other areas of the body, however, treatment becomes much more difficult, and the five-year survival rate dips to roughly 16 percent. K. R. Callaway, Scientific American, 2 May 2026 But little is known about how, exactly, information spreads across these mycelial networks. ArsTechnica, 2 May 2026 However, when grown as a ground cover, mint spreads quickly and can compete with other plants for nutrients and water, which can stunt their growth or kill them, says Eric Nieusma, organic farmer and co-owner of Maine Hill Farm. Sj McShane, Martha Stewart, 1 May 2026 It is typically followed by a rash that starts on the face and spreads downward, the agency says. Shannon Tyler, Idaho Statesman, 1 May 2026 The disease is highly contagious and spreads through coughing or close contact with someone who is sick. Fedor Zarkhin, Los Angeles Times, 30 Apr. 2026 This dense plant spreads quickly and grows well on slopes and hillsides. Lee Wallender, The Spruce, 30 Apr. 2026 That’s especially true outdoors, where storage is scarce and patios tend to be smaller than the magazine spreads suggest. Lauren Jarvis-Gibson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 30 Apr. 2026
Noun
Those are hefty spreads for Game 7s. Dan Santaromita, New York Times, 2 May 2026 The Bermuda grass weed spreads by its roots (rhizomes) and seeds. Calvin Finch, San Antonio Express-News, 28 Apr. 2026 Through the team, guests can tap chef Julian Martinez of Barbareño for everything from breakfast spreads and picnic packs to private dinners and even pizza-making classes. Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 25 Apr. 2026 Call spreads involve buying and selling call options on one asset at the same expiration date, though with different strike prices. Fred Imbert, CNBC, 24 Apr. 2026 Salad bowl shops, places that push bowls filled with Mediterranean spreads and grains, and bowls brimming with açaí under tiles of sliced banana. Jenn Harris, Los Angeles Times, 20 Apr. 2026 And in the secondary market, SSA dollar bond yield spreads versus Treasuries have also fallen to a few hundredths of a percentage point recently. Jason Ma, Fortune, 19 Apr. 2026 As optimism spreads, oil prices are falling. Chan Ho-Him, Chicago Tribune, 17 Apr. 2026 Funds that cater to institutional investors focused on loans to middle-market borrowers that had more protective covenants and wider spreads, a feature that can also buffer potential losses, Gross said at Semafor World Economy in Washington, DC. Miles Weiss, semafor.com, 16 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for spreads
Verb
  • 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
  • Much of that money has been routed through a nonprofit judicial advocacy group Leo founded — now called The 85 Fund — which both receives and disseminates Leo’s funding.
    Abrahm Lustgarten, ProPublica, 7 Apr. 2026
Verb
  • The automatic discount also applies to all purchases made on the Free People app—no minimum purchase required.
    Hannah Chubb, Condé Nast Traveler, 30 Apr. 2026
  • Even once the standard is set, the 2027 deadline applies to creating the rule, not putting the technology in cars right away.
    Tiffani Jackson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 30 Apr. 2026
Verb
  • Glucose is a type of sugar that circulates in the bloodstream after being absorbed from food.
    Liao Yue, The Conversation, 28 Apr. 2026
  • The three-stage filtration system captures common airborne particles, while its 360-degree air intake efficiently pulls in and circulates air in rooms of up to 2,400 square feet.
    Toni Sutton, PEOPLE, 24 Apr. 2026
Verb
  • The Amp then transmits the audio through any connected speakers.
    BestReviews, Chicago Tribune, 1 May 2026
  • Regeneron's gene therapy Otarmeni treats a rare disease where a faulty OTOF gene limits production of a protein that transmits sound signals in the ear.
    Angelica Peebles, CNBC, 24 Apr. 2026
Verb
  • Trever parts his hair to the right while his brother styles his combover to the left.
    Jay Stahl, USA Today, 4 Apr. 2026
  • Later, Hamilton parts the sea on his kick scooter, speedily escaping from the hectic press area.
    Hannah Dailey, Billboard, 10 Feb. 2026
Verb
  • This greatly increases the surface area available for electrochemical reactions and enables faster charging and discharging while maintaining high power density in an extremely small footprint.
    Georgina Jedikovska, Interesting Engineering, 29 Apr. 2026
  • Across the spectrum, increases to bonus payouts ranged from 6% to 43%, with a median of 13%, and an average increase of 12%.
    Amanda Gerut, Fortune, 29 Apr. 2026
Noun
  • Everybody, including the president’s stern chief of security (Thomas Aquino), is skeptical of Creasy’s preparedness for the job, but Paul welcomes Creasy to multiple dinners with his family, including sullen teenage daughter Poe (Billie Boullet).
    Daniel Fienberg, HollywoodReporter, 30 Apr. 2026
  • Even food editors who cook all day need easy weeknight dinners.
    Joe Sevier, Bon Appetit Magazine, 30 Apr. 2026
Noun
  • In these plans, recalled Douglas Vakoch, president of Messaging Extraterrestrial Intelligence (METI) International in San Francisco, huge diagrams would be etched on large expanses of land here on Earth.
    Leonard David, Space.com, 23 Apr. 2026
  • Large expanses of glass keep the outdoors in constant view, so the house shifts with the light throughout the day.
    Abby Montanez, Robb Report, 23 Apr. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Spreads.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/spreads. Accessed 6 May. 2026.

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