interspersed; interspersing
Synonyms of interspersenext

transitive verb

1
: to insert at intervals among other things
interspersing drawings throughout the text
2
: to place something at intervals in or among
intersperse a book with pictures

Did you know?

Intersperse comes from Latin interspersus, a combination of the prefix inter- ("between or among") and sparsus, the past participle of spargere, meaning "to scatter." Sparsus is also the source of sparse.

Examples of intersperse in a Sentence

You should intersperse these pictures evenly throughout the book. Some seagulls were interspersed among the ducks.
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Also interspersed throughout are audio snippets from interviews and Charli’s own voice notes to people like Vincent Cassel. Bethy Squires, Vulture, 24 July 2026 Some followers wish the company would decrease the number of promos interspersed among the helpful injury updates. Dan Bernstein, Sportico.com, 24 July 2026 Throughout the visual, scenes of the couple’s romance are interspersed with shots of wildlife, karaoke performances and emotional moments as Musgraves sings about not wanting to leave Mexico behind. Lily Brown, PEOPLE, 22 July 2026 Since 2017, Miller’s posts about players and prospects, primarily on X, have been increasingly interspersed with calls for followers to donate to charitable campaigns. Alex Andrejev, New York Times, 17 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for intersperse

Word History

Etymology

Latin interspersus interspersed, from inter- + sparsus, past participle of spargere to scatter — more at spark

First Known Use

1566, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Time Traveler
The first known use of intersperse was in 1566

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Cite this Entry

“Intersperse.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/intersperse. Accessed 1 Aug. 2026.

Kids Definition

intersperse

verb
interspersed; interspersing
1
: to set here and there among other things
intersperse pictures in a book
2
: to vary with things inserted here and there
interspersed the photo album with her poetry

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