sprawled; sprawling; sprawls
1
: to lie or sit with arms and legs spread out
2
: to spread or develop irregularly or without restraint
bushes sprawling along the road
sprawling suburbs
a sprawling narrative
3
a
: to creep or clamber awkwardly
b
archaic
: to lie thrashing or tossing about
: to cause to spread out carelessly or awkwardly
sprawled out her books on the table
1
: an irregularly spread or scattered group or mass
2
3
: the act, posture, or condition of sprawling
Examples of sprawl in a Sentence
Verb
The kids sprawled on the floor to watch TV.
She tripped and went sprawling into the table.
The city sprawls along the coastline.
The bushes were sprawling along the road.
Recent Examples on the Web
Kate McMahon, Travel + Leisure, 25 Jan. 2025
The artist-patron conflict at the heart of The Brutalist takes a cruel, intense turn about three hours into Brady Corbet's sprawling midcentury epic.
—Wesley Stenzel, EW.com, 24 Jan. 2025
Andres Viglucci, Miami Herald, 22 Jan. 2025
These ingredients — in addition to the city’s sprawl, which pushes outskirt neighborhoods into fire-prone wildlands — set the stage for immense destruction.
—Laura Paddison, CNN, 21 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for sprawl 
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Verb
Situated on the outskirts of Cairo and spanning 50 hectares — equivalent to approximately 93 American football fields — the sprawling complex encompasses rotating and permanent galleries, research facilities, and a library dedicated to Egyptology.
—Kate McMahon, Travel + Leisure, 25 Jan. 2025
The artist-patron conflict at the heart of The Brutalist takes a cruel, intense turn about three hours into Brady Corbet's sprawling midcentury epic.
—Wesley Stenzel, EW.com, 24 Jan. 2025
Noun
Miami-Dade transit officials say Upland Park will give people in fast-growing west Miami-Dade an option that’s been lacking amid overwhelming suburban sprawl — the ability to live in a compact neighborhood with shopping, transit, recreation and even work at their doorstep.
—Andres Viglucci, Miami Herald, 22 Jan. 2025
These ingredients — in addition to the city’s sprawl, which pushes outskirt neighborhoods into fire-prone wildlands — set the stage for immense destruction.
—Laura Paddison, CNN, 21 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for sprawl
Dictionary Entries Near sprawl
Cite this Entry
“Sprawl.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sprawl. Accessed 30 Jan. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share