spread out

phrasal verb

spread out; spreading out; spreads out

1

: to open, arrange, or place (something) over a large area

He spread out the map on the table.

He spread the cards out on the table.

The cards were spread out across the table.

2

: to be open, arranged, or extended over a large area

The city is spread out over a wide area.

3

: to move (parts of the body) outward or away from each other

Spread your arms out.

There's no room on the couch to spread yourself out.

4

: to divide up (something) over a period of time or among members of a group

They spread the work out among the committee members.

The course is spread out over two semesters.

5

: to move apart from the other members of a group especially to search an area

The police spread out to search the area faster.

Examples of spread out in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

But Tanner said they are spread out all over the country. —CBS News, 1 Nov. 2024

Transfer the apples to the prepared pan and spread out in an even layer. —Robin Miller, The Arizona Republic, 1 Nov. 2024

Flashback: The traditional holiday shopping season morphed during COVID, when more deals moved online and spread out consumer demand over longer periods of time. —Kelly Tyko, Axios, 30 Oct. 2024

The Alluvium Vineyard is an alluvial fan, spreading out from an old sedimentary riverbed in the shape of a broad triangle. —Mike Desimone and Jeff Jenssen, Robb Report, 27 Oct. 2024