as in spreading
to cause to move outward and apart
He sat with his legs splayed apart. She splayed her fingers to show off her manicure.
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Recent Examples of splaying
When an ice storm is in the forecast, support plants with weak branches that are susceptible to splaying or breaking, like arborvitae and 'Sky Pencil' holly.
—
Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 4 Feb. 2026
Weah often stayed high, with Miles Robinson splaying out to the right touchline in a traditional right fullback position.
—Paul Tenorio, New York Times, 11 Oct. 2025
Bob came out, blinking his eyes hard and closing his big fists tight, splaying his fingers back out in a pink baby starfish.
—Literary Hub, 13 Aug. 2025
Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 4 Feb. 2026
Weah often stayed high, with Miles Robinson splaying out to the right touchline in a traditional right fullback position.
—Paul Tenorio, New York Times, 11 Oct. 2025
Bob came out, blinking his eyes hard and closing his big fists tight, splaying his fingers back out in a pink baby starfish.
—Literary Hub, 13 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for splaying
Verb
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Firefighters were able to contain the fire to a single bus, preventing it from spreading to nearby vehicles.—
Richard Ramos,
CBS News,
3 Apr. 2026
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Saturday — the peak day for Easter egg hunts — will see thunderstorms spreading from the southern Plains into the Ohio Valley.—
Brandi D. Addison,
USA Today,
3 Apr. 2026
Verb
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The map slices through Kansas City, splitting the city’s voters across three Republican-leaning districts.—
Kacen Bayless,
Kansas City Star,
1 Apr. 2026
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After splitting the first pair of contests, Toronto clinched the regular-season series 2-1 over Orlando.—
Jason Beede,
The Orlando Sentinel,
30 Mar. 2026
Verb
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There’s a bohemian vibe radiating from Serena & Lily’s Kittery rug, but the rigid grid motif lends the design some structure, a detail that can appeal to more formal design personalities.—
Julia Harrison,
Architectural Digest,
17 Mar. 2026
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Grayson is a strong and beautiful presence, radiating warmth, humor, and style, and sporting a wide range of talents.—
Heide Janssen,
Oc Register,
15 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Splaying.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/splaying. Accessed 6 Apr. 2026.
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