intersperse
verb
in·ter·sperse
ˌin-tər-ˈspərs 
interspersed; interspersing
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
Farmers also plant coffee interspersed with food crops in a practice called agroforestry.
—
Marianne Krasny, Forbes.com, 16 Sep. 2025
Family photographs are interspersed into the pages of the books.
—Lisa Lockwood, Footwear News, 16 Sep. 2025
For the more than four decades that followed, Redford's acting career volleyed between prestige pictures (The Candidate, Best Picture winner Out of Africa) and popular entertainment (The Sting, Indecent Proposal), interspersed with his fair share of misfires (An Unfinished life, Lions for Lambs).
—Christine Spines, Entertainment Weekly, 16 Sep. 2025
Instead, scenes of life at the nunnery are interspersed with childhood memories, usually involving her mother assisting people in need or her classmates mistreating vulnerable children.
—Nathaniel Moore
september 10, Literary Hub, 10 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for intersperse
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Marianne Krasny, Forbes.com, 16 Sep. 2025
Family photographs are interspersed into the pages of the books.
—Lisa Lockwood, Footwear News, 16 Sep. 2025
For the more than four decades that followed, Redford's acting career volleyed between prestige pictures (The Candidate, Best Picture winner Out of Africa) and popular entertainment (The Sting, Indecent Proposal), interspersed with his fair share of misfires (An Unfinished life, Lions for Lambs).
—Christine Spines, Entertainment Weekly, 16 Sep. 2025
Instead, scenes of life at the nunnery are interspersed with childhood memories, usually involving her mother assisting people in need or her classmates mistreating vulnerable children.
—Nathaniel Moore
september 10, Literary Hub, 10 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for intersperse
Cite this Entry
“Intersperse.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/intersperse. Accessed 17 Sep. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
intersperse
verb
in·ter·sperse
ˌint-ər-ˈspərs
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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