spreads 1 of 2

Definition of spreadsnext
present tense third-person singular of spread
1
2
3
4
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

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

6

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

2
3
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

5

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
But the reality is that as automation spreads, skills like critical thinking, communication and emotional intelligence become more valuable. Catherine Thorbecke, Boston Herald, 18 Apr. 2026 Sargassum originates from the eastern Caribbean and spreads throughout Florida's East Coast and elsewhere. Doyle Rice, USA Today, 18 Apr. 2026 This pretty perennial plant is low-maintenance and spreads quickly. Madeline Buiano, Martha Stewart, 18 Apr. 2026 The strategy spreads tourism spending across neighborhoods instead of concentrating it near match venues. Amalia Roy, FOXNews.com, 17 Apr. 2026 Stocks fell for a second day as investors seek refuge in government bonds as the worry Covid-19 spreads. Sean Conlon,hugh Leask, CNBC, 17 Apr. 2026 When Kennedy spreads fear, parents become fearful and often refuse vaccines, and herd immunity begins to crack. Letters To The Editor, The Orlando Sentinel, 16 Apr. 2026 Iran is an uncontrollable, radical country that spreads terror and mayhem throughout the Middle East and has continually threatened America. Chicago Tribune, 16 Apr. 2026 Comfort spreads as the fertile Moon blesses your home zone and sextiles therapeutic Chiron in your 6th House of Sustainability. Tarot.com, Sun Sentinel, 12 Apr. 2026
Noun
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 After Britain’s exit, the EU decreed that member states can also use the word marmalade for non-citrus fruit spreads, as long as the type of fruit involved is identified. ABC News, 15 Apr. 2026 Also called creeping Charlie, this perennial weed spreads fast during cool weather. Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 11 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for spreads
Verb
  • 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
  • Federal privacy laws require such documents before a federal agency collects or disseminates personal, identifiable information about the public for a new purpose.
    Jude Joffe-Block, NPR, 3 Apr. 2026
Verb
  • The annual all-inclusive discounted online ticket sale applies to more than 4,000 concerts nationwide, including more than 80 upcoming shows in San Diego.
    George Varga, San Diego Union-Tribune, 23 Apr. 2026
  • The same incentive structure applies here.
    Bobby Burack OutKick, FOXNews.com, 23 Apr. 2026
Verb
  • 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
  • The system circulates smoke evenly around the food.
    Maryna Holovnova, New Atlas, 24 Apr. 2026
Verb
  • 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
  • Last year, the state’s Department of Food and Agriculture cut down 30% of the nursery’s citrus trees on concerns they were infested with Asian citrus psyllid, a sap-sucking bug that transmits a devastating citrus disease.
    Pat Maio, Oc Register, 17 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
  • According to this law, heat always flows from a hotter to a cooler object, which in turn increases that cooler object’s entropy.
    Stephanie Pappas, Scientific American, 21 Apr. 2026
  • The project increases Georgia’s already strong presence in the growing defense industry.
    AJ Willingham, AJC.com, 21 Apr. 2026
Noun
  • From the presidential inauguration to high-profile dinners to a documentary screening, Big Tech leaders have become a fixture at the White House.
    Jacqueline Munis, Fortune, 23 Apr. 2026
  • At a series of small upfront dinners with advertisers over the past several weeks, Ellison also promised ramped up content spending.
    Jill Goldsmith, Deadline, 23 Apr. 2026
Noun
  • And our national parks were still wild expanses barely fit for mules.
    Jacqueline Kehoe, Travel + Leisure, 13 Apr. 2026
  • Glass expanses and sliding walls dissolve boundaries, while Turner’s mix of tactile natural materials and warm neutrals echoes the setting without resorting to Caribbean cliché.
    Andrew Sessa, Robb Report, 5 Apr. 2026

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Spreads.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/spreads. Accessed 26 Apr. 2026.

More from Merriam-Webster on spreads

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster