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

The time spent can be spread out over time or condensed into a shorter time period such as a course, workshop, or travel experience. —Jann E. Freed, Forbes, 27 Oct. 2024

The property, located in the Pacific Palisades neighborhood of L.A., features four bedrooms, four full bathrooms and is spread out across 3,500 square feet, according to the New York Times. —Natalia Senanayake, People.com, 25 Oct. 2024

With the first option, the jackpot amount is spread out over 30 years as an annual payment. —Shelby Slade, The Arizona Republic, 24 Oct. 2024

Anthony’s locations are spread out along the Front Range from Littleton to Brighton and Golden to Aurora, with a few further out in Fort Collins and Colorado Springs. —John Wenzel, The Denver Post, 22 Oct. 2024