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
And so, interspersed with the personal and social vignettes, there is a sprinkling of debaters’ points and soundbites.
—
Louis Menand, New Yorker, 26 May 2025
Not interspersed with the rest of the story, but all at once in a single episode that slams hard on the brakes after last week’s intense finish and gives everyone a moment to breathe before the big Season 2 finale next week.
—Erik Kain, Forbes.com, 19 May 2025
Flashback sequences involving him and Ellie are interspersed in between the main timeline to show how their relationship became so fraught.
—Nick Romano, EW.com, 12 May 2025
Hamdan intersperses Mia’s juggling act with excerpts from a diary kept by her grandmother in 1940s Palestine, demonstrating how the need for love and belonging can cross generations.
—John Cassidy, New York Times, 30 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for intersperse
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Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
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Louis Menand, New Yorker, 26 May 2025
Not interspersed with the rest of the story, but all at once in a single episode that slams hard on the brakes after last week’s intense finish and gives everyone a moment to breathe before the big Season 2 finale next week.
—Erik Kain, Forbes.com, 19 May 2025
Flashback sequences involving him and Ellie are interspersed in between the main timeline to show how their relationship became so fraught.
—Nick Romano, EW.com, 12 May 2025
Hamdan intersperses Mia’s juggling act with excerpts from a diary kept by her grandmother in 1940s Palestine, demonstrating how the need for love and belonging can cross generations.
—John Cassidy, New York Times, 30 Apr. 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 1 Jun. 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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