1
as in to extend
to extend outwards from or as if from a central point
The suburbs sprawl for miles beyond the city's downtown.
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to stretch (out)
to rest with the arms and legs spread out
There's no feeling like sprawling out on your bed after a hard day's work.
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Recent Examples of sprawl
Guests can opt for cottages featuring their own Southern porches, private log cabins on the lake, or classic hotel rooms in one of three lodges—all with various views of the sprawling natural property and charm of a quieter bygone era.
—
Abigail Wilt, Southern Living, 15 Apr. 2025
The easily preventable disease, declared eliminated in the U.S. in 2000, ripped through communities sprawling across more than 20 Texas counties in part because health departments were starved of the funding needed to run vaccine programs, officials say.
—Arkansas Online, 14 Apr. 2025
This 1923 ending expands the sprawling Dutton family tree.
—Jackie Strause, HollywoodReporter, 7 Apr. 2025
One solution that has emerged to attract more public transit riders is on-demand transit, which dynamically routes buses in real-time to better reach users and serves as a cost-effective tool for reversing declining ridership and addressing service gaps in sprawling suburbs.
—Ankit Mishra, Forbes.com, 7 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for sprawl
Abigail Wilt, Southern Living, 15 Apr. 2025
The easily preventable disease, declared eliminated in the U.S. in 2000, ripped through communities sprawling across more than 20 Texas counties in part because health departments were starved of the funding needed to run vaccine programs, officials say.
—Arkansas Online, 14 Apr. 2025
This 1923 ending expands the sprawling Dutton family tree.
—Jackie Strause, HollywoodReporter, 7 Apr. 2025
One solution that has emerged to attract more public transit riders is on-demand transit, which dynamically routes buses in real-time to better reach users and serves as a cost-effective tool for reversing declining ridership and addressing service gaps in sprawling suburbs.
—Ankit Mishra, Forbes.com, 7 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for sprawl
Recent Examples of Synonyms for sprawl
Verb
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Mummy Pig talks pregnancy, big feelings Kelce, also pregnant with her fourth daughter at the time, extended her congratulations and asked how Mummy Pig's other children, Peppa and George, were handling the news.—
Amaris Encinas,
USA Today,
26 Apr. 2025
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Don’t forget that Bezos’s appetite for the exceptional extends offshore, with Koru, his $500 million, 417-foot sailing yacht, and Abeona, the $75 million, 250-foot support vessel that follows in its wake.—
Abby Montanez,
Robb Report,
25 Apr. 2025
Verb
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All three ensembles diverged from the Vatican's traditional dress code, which prescribes a formal black suit, black tie, and a black lapel pin for male attendees at papal funerals.—
Giulia Carbonaro,
MSNBC Newsweek,
26 Apr. 2025
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The visa refusal rate for Russians diverges strongly among member states — from 1% to 65% in the first half of 2024, according to an EU report.—
Elizabeth McBride,
CNN Money,
23 Apr. 2025
Verb
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The singer was sitting behind President Trump, Elon Musk and Kid Rock.—
Ashley Hume,
FOXNews.com,
20 Apr. 2025
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Kennedy sat across from her flanked by Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins and Secretary of Education Linda McMahon.—
Swapna Venugopal Ramaswamy,
USA Today,
20 Apr. 2025
Verb
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For 2024, the list was expanded to 450 companies and looked at their emissions between 2020 and 2022.—
Elizabeth Weise,
USA Today,
22 Apr. 2025
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Believed to have originated in 15th-century Italy as a card game used by nobility, the original deck was expanded and popularized by 18th-century French occultists; and again later in the 20th century, when modern tarot was born thanks to the Rider-Waite-Smith deck, published in 1909.—
Michaela Trimble,
Vogue,
21 Apr. 2025
Verb
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The crop can be harvested at anytime but most leave the bulbs in the ground until the tops decline and flop over.—
Tom MacCubbin,
The Orlando Sentinel,
12 Apr. 2025
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The Bali project seems to have flopped, reportedly leaving local construction workers in the lurch.—
Kyle Khan-Mullins,
Forbes.com,
11 Apr. 2025
Verb
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The city is divided along sectarian lines: The south is home mostly to Sunni Muslims, while the northern neighborhoods are mostly Alawite.—
Christina Goldbaum,
New York Times,
20 Apr. 2025
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Passengers are divided on the appropriateness of removing shoes during flights, citing comfort versus hygiene and safety.—
Christopher Elliott,
USA Today,
19 Apr. 2025
Verb
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Even outside of the event season, Pismo radiates that classic California charm with wide-open beaches, fresh seafood, and a town that greets everyone with a smile.—
Pismo Beach Conference and Visitor Bureau,
Mercury News,
15 Apr. 2025
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Today, most of Micanopy’s activity radiates from Cholokka Boulevard.—
Tara Massouleh McCay,
Southern Living,
15 Apr. 2025
Verb
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For lounging at home or casual outings, grab this soft Hanes hoodie that’s marked down to $13 with double discounts.—
Isabel Garcia,
People.com,
26 Apr. 2025
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In another carousel, the beauty vlogger is seen lounging with a cup of coffee, and in another pic, smiling wearing a pair of shades and a bikini on the sand.—
Madeleine Marr,
Miami Herald,
25 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Sprawl.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sprawl. Accessed 30 Apr. 2025.
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