splayed; splaying; splays
Examples of splay in a Sentence
Verb
He sat with his legs splayed apart.
She splayed her fingers to show off her manicure.
His fingers splayed out over the table as he steadied himself.
Recent Examples on the Web
Peter Debruge, Variety, 12 Apr. 2024
That’s because with forefoot strikes, the toes can splay, and the force of the impact can roll through the five metatarsal bones in the midsection of the foot, increasing surface area and spreading out the force of the impact.
—Laura Lancaster, Outdoor Life, 11 Apr. 2024
The ritual only lasted a few seconds, the hen squatting with her wings splayed as if preparing for battle.
—Hazlitt, 14 Feb. 2024
Hill served the bird over peppery cheddar grits, with pickled green tomatoes splayed alongside.
—Bill Addison, Los Angeles Times, 16 Mar. 2024
Another video posted on X shows the younger man splayed on his stomach on platform steps.
—Hurubie Meko, New York Times, 15 Mar. 2024
The deer was seen lying down with all its extremities splayed out.
—Sarah Rumpf-Whitten, Fox News, 30 Nov. 2023
The vehicle sped off with Zacharias splayed across the hood.
—Katherine Itoh, NBC News, 3 Feb. 2024
With this love interest, she’s splayed on a blanket surrounded by hay in a white frilly Sandy Liang dress and vintage shoes.
—Kerane Marcellus, Essence, 28 Aug. 2023
Dakota Kim, Los Angeles Times, 28 Mar. 2024
These continue to be a favorite for barefoot runners and hikers looking for maximum toe splay that even the wider toe box in traditional barefoot shoes doesn’t offer.
—Maggie Slepian, Travel + Leisure, 19 Jan. 2024
Bont makes a wider shoe than many others on the market, allowing greater toe splay and more comfort for wider midfoots, and this high-performing shoe comes in two width options to fit a wide range of foot shapes and sizes.
—Maggie Slepian, Travel + Leisure, 16 Oct. 2023
It is shaped like my foot, snugging and securing the heel and arch while relaxing and opening up at the ball to allow for toe splay and flex.
—Jonathan Beverly, Outside Online, 16 Apr. 2020
The forefoot is roomy (for natural toe splay) without feeling sloppy, and the 26-millimeter-thick foam from heel to toe is both soft and responsive, resulting in a notably enjoyable ride.
—Cory Smith, Outside Online, 29 Aug. 2021
Bit’s rural Maryland home, and Mark McCullough’s vivid lighting design, from the cool lapis of the early evening to the prismatic splay of teal, turquoise and rose pink that coyly suggests sunset, are the clearest signifiers of the production’s shifting settings and tones.
—New York Times, 19 Apr. 2022
For those who have wide feet, Altra stands out for its unique toe box design that allows for full toe splay.
—Emma Seymour, Good Housekeeping, 17 Feb. 2023
Merrell designed this pair specifically for women, with our specific toe splay, hip width, and arch propensities in mind.
—Condé Nast Traveler, 15 Apr. 2022
Verb
Watching from the stands, their legs splayed indecently wide, the pair ogle Tashi as the wind whips her short skirt up in the air.
—Peter Debruge, Variety, 12 Apr. 2024
That’s because with forefoot strikes, the toes can splay, and the force of the impact can roll through the five metatarsal bones in the midsection of the foot, increasing surface area and spreading out the force of the impact.
—Laura Lancaster, Outdoor Life, 11 Apr. 2024
The ritual only lasted a few seconds, the hen squatting with her wings splayed as if preparing for battle.
—Hazlitt, 14 Feb. 2024
Hill served the bird over peppery cheddar grits, with pickled green tomatoes splayed alongside.
—Bill Addison, Los Angeles Times, 16 Mar. 2024
Another video posted on X shows the younger man splayed on his stomach on platform steps.
—Hurubie Meko, New York Times, 15 Mar. 2024
The deer was seen lying down with all its extremities splayed out.
—Sarah Rumpf-Whitten, Fox News, 30 Nov. 2023
The vehicle sped off with Zacharias splayed across the hood.
—Katherine Itoh, NBC News, 3 Feb. 2024
With this love interest, she’s splayed on a blanket surrounded by hay in a white frilly Sandy Liang dress and vintage shoes.
—Kerane Marcellus, Essence, 28 Aug. 2023
Noun
In one inspirational photo, a large multicolored butterfly spans the entire seat of a vintage pair of Miss Sixty jeans, while in another, shiny silver flowers splay across a Dries van Noten jacket.
—Dakota Kim, Los Angeles Times, 28 Mar. 2024
These continue to be a favorite for barefoot runners and hikers looking for maximum toe splay that even the wider toe box in traditional barefoot shoes doesn’t offer.
—Maggie Slepian, Travel + Leisure, 19 Jan. 2024
Bont makes a wider shoe than many others on the market, allowing greater toe splay and more comfort for wider midfoots, and this high-performing shoe comes in two width options to fit a wide range of foot shapes and sizes.
—Maggie Slepian, Travel + Leisure, 16 Oct. 2023
It is shaped like my foot, snugging and securing the heel and arch while relaxing and opening up at the ball to allow for toe splay and flex.
—Jonathan Beverly, Outside Online, 16 Apr. 2020
The forefoot is roomy (for natural toe splay) without feeling sloppy, and the 26-millimeter-thick foam from heel to toe is both soft and responsive, resulting in a notably enjoyable ride.
—Cory Smith, Outside Online, 29 Aug. 2021
Bit’s rural Maryland home, and Mark McCullough’s vivid lighting design, from the cool lapis of the early evening to the prismatic splay of teal, turquoise and rose pink that coyly suggests sunset, are the clearest signifiers of the production’s shifting settings and tones.
—New York Times, 19 Apr. 2022
For those who have wide feet, Altra stands out for its unique toe box design that allows for full toe splay.
—Emma Seymour, Good Housekeeping, 17 Feb. 2023
Merrell designed this pair specifically for women, with our specific toe splay, hip width, and arch propensities in mind.
—Condé Nast Traveler, 15 Apr. 2022
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'splay.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near splay
Cite this Entry
“Splay.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/splay. Accessed 23 Apr. 2024.
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