spread out
verb
spread out; spreading out; spreads out
1
: to open, arrange, or place (something) over a large area
He spread out the map on the table.
He spread the cards out on the table.
The cards were spread out across the table.
2
: to be open, arranged, or extended over a large area
The city is spread out over a wide area.
3
: to move (parts of the body) outward or away from each other
Spread your arms out.
There's no room on the couch to spread yourself out.
4
: to divide up (something) over a period of time or among members of a group
They spread the work out among the committee members.
The course is spread out over two semesters.
5
: to move apart from the other members of a group especially to search an area
The police spread out to search the area faster.
Examples of spread out in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Wander the walking paths and bridges or spread out a picnic blanket and relax in the grass.
—
Midwest Living, 30 Apr. 2026
Annette Sanderson, chief executive officer of the Housing Authority of the City of Hartford, which owns and manages Mary Shepard Place, said the authority had considered in recent years renovating the existing apartments and community center spread out over 13 acres near Main Street.
—Kenneth R. Gosselin, Hartford Courant, 30 Apr. 2026
In summer, visitors hike the trails or spread out a picnic with the cascade as a backdrop.
—Hanna Wickes, Miami Herald, 30 Apr. 2026
Robinson was among 425 volunteers spreading out from four different locations on Saturday throughout Waukegan, removing trash from the lakefront, the city’s downtown and its neighborhoods, ending eight days of active environmental stewardship during the city’s fifth-annual Earth Week cleanup.
—Steve Sadin, Chicago Tribune, 27 Apr. 2026
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Midwest Living, 30 Apr. 2026
Annette Sanderson, chief executive officer of the Housing Authority of the City of Hartford, which owns and manages Mary Shepard Place, said the authority had considered in recent years renovating the existing apartments and community center spread out over 13 acres near Main Street.
—Kenneth R. Gosselin, Hartford Courant, 30 Apr. 2026
In summer, visitors hike the trails or spread out a picnic with the cascade as a backdrop.
—Hanna Wickes, Miami Herald, 30 Apr. 2026
Robinson was among 425 volunteers spreading out from four different locations on Saturday throughout Waukegan, removing trash from the lakefront, the city’s downtown and its neighborhoods, ending eight days of active environmental stewardship during the city’s fifth-annual Earth Week cleanup.
—Steve Sadin, Chicago Tribune, 27 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for spread out
Cite this Entry
“Spread out.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/spread%20out. Accessed 2 May. 2026.
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