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

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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

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 For some, even treating cuts and wounds could become problematic if AMR spreads due to the risk of a runaway infection. — Laura Sharman, CNN Money, 9 Sep. 2026 Emmett, wary from the start, would rather see the back of him, and his suspicions grow when word spreads of a series of brutal murders in the area. — Guy Lodge, Variety, 9 Sep. 2026 Pooling customers’ demand for one process increases utilization, spreads capital recovery across more productive hours and lowers the conversion cost of every part. — Dhanush Bakthavatchalam, Forbes.com, 9 Sep. 2026 Stiltgrass spreads quickly, outcompetes native plants, and disrupts ecosystems by reducing biodiversity. — Nadia Hassani, The Spruce, 9 Sep. 2026 Transportation Security Administration officers screen those while the flyer spreads their arms out mannequin-style inside a body scanner. — Kathleen Wong, USA Today, 3 Sep. 2026 Chinese leader Xi Jinping arrived in Egypt seeking to build closer ties with the key US ally as instability spreads across the Gulf. — semafor.com, 2 Sep. 2026

Noun

The Hurricanes are favored by almost two Rutgers-UMass spreads. — Steven Louis Goldstein, New York Times, 9 Sep. 2026 Diesel crack spreads, a profitability gauge for refiners, hit an all-time high last week. — Jim Cramer, CNBC, 8 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 As Western forces withdraw and violence spreads in Niger, Mali and Burkina Faso, analysts warn these Russian security deals deepen dependence on Moscow while failing to reverse the region’s worsening instability. — Chinedu Asadu, Los Angeles Times, 31 Aug. 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 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

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

Today, the conditions are different, shaped by a globalized and hyper-connected image economy where everything circulates at once and at speed.

— Alessia Glaviano, Vogue, 4 Sep. 2026
However, in a convection oven, a fan at the back of the unit circulates the hot air created by the heating elements for more even distribution.

— BestReviews, Mercury News, 25 Aug. 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

Banks are happy to oblige, issuing loans and credit with high interest rates to low-income individuals with questionable credit ratings, which increases the likelihood of loan defaults and bankruptcies.

— Eric Khant, Sun Sentinel, 8 Sep. 2026
Goldman said that its best-case scenario places Brent in the $60-per-barrel range in 2027, but only if oil production in the Persian Gulf increases by 1 million barrels a day above its pre-war levels.

— Aimee Picchi, CBS News, 8 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