1
as in to extend
to extend outwards from or as if from a central point
The suburbs sprawl for miles beyond the city's downtown.
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2
as in to stretch (out)
to rest with the arms and legs spread out
There's no feeling like sprawling out on your bed after a hard day's work.
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Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Recent Examples of sprawl
Equity portfolio Another area likely to draw scrutiny is Berkshire's sprawling equity portfolio, and how it's being managed in the post-Buffett era.
—
Yun Li, CNBC, 1 May 2026
Make the most of smaller patios Not every empty-nest backyard is sprawling.
—Kansas City Star, 1 May 2026
Beachgoers can walk along the sprawling bay's seven individual beaches or wander out into the water, where the tide stays relatively low.
—Kathleen Wong, USA Today, 30 Apr. 2026
The 1st District covers the sprawling northeastern corner of California.
—William Melhado, Sacbee.com, 30 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for sprawl
Yun Li, CNBC, 1 May 2026
Make the most of smaller patios Not every empty-nest backyard is sprawling.
—Kansas City Star, 1 May 2026
Beachgoers can walk along the sprawling bay's seven individual beaches or wander out into the water, where the tide stays relatively low.
—Kathleen Wong, USA Today, 30 Apr. 2026
The 1st District covers the sprawling northeastern corner of California.
—William Melhado, Sacbee.com, 30 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for sprawl
Recent Examples of Synonyms for sprawl
Verb
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Batting from the right side, Romo’s home run to left-center against Suter in the sixth extended the lead to 4-1.—
LaMond Pope,
Chicago Tribune,
29 Apr. 2026
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Coach Luis Enrique's PSG is at full strength while Vincent Kompany's Bayern has already clinched a record-extending 35th Bundesliga championship and remains on course for a treble.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
28 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Charmed at first, Nella soon becomes confused and suspicious of her alleged ally as their approaches to racial bias and diversity begin to sharply diverge and the story, told through a past and present timeline, unravels with unexpected twists.—
Laura Zigman,
PEOPLE,
2 May 2026
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But his account of the incident significantly diverges from there.—
Nicole Blanchard,
Idaho Statesman,
1 May 2026
Verb
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Embiid and Maxey played their last minutes midway through the third quarter and sat for the final period.—
Fiifi Frimpong,
New York Daily News,
5 May 2026
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Whether at home or on the road, Ayton and Smart sit side by side in the locker room – figuring out the ebbs and flows of the season through constant conversation, Smart said.—
Benjamin Royer,
Oc Register,
4 May 2026
Verb
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The chain eventually expanded to other nameplates — Banana Republic and Old Navy — and now generates more than $15 billion in sales globally.—
Anne D'Innocenzio,
Chicago Tribune,
5 May 2026
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That means expanding the Renter’s Tax Credit, protecting homeowners from rising costs and making sure renters know their rights and can access homelessness prevention services.—
Kaitlyn Schallhorn,
Oc Register,
4 May 2026
Verb
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Suggs set the tone for the series in the opening quarter of Game 1, disrupting Pistons passes, sinking a pair of 3-pointers and belly-flopping to the floor to collect a loose basketball.—
Josh Robbins,
New York Times,
1 May 2026
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On Thursday morning, visitors snapped photos as the Steller sea lion flopped on the pier, surrounded by dozens of much smaller California sea lions that call the docks home.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
30 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Mosquitoes target spots where heat radiates most, like the head and neck.—
Ryan Brennan,
Miami Herald,
1 May 2026
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That required segmenting the coil and inserting electronics within it to keep it from radiating its energy away like an antenna.—
IEEE Spectrum,
IEEE Spectrum,
30 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Trump is also seen lounging in a gold-colored inflatable chair.—
Bailey Richards,
PEOPLE,
3 May 2026
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The Beach Of course, the best part of any island vacation is lounging on the beach and feeling the sun bake the salty ocean spray into your skin.—
Katherine Polcari,
Southern Living,
2 May 2026
Verb
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The sublime—a concept introduced by the first-century philosopher Longinus and later refined by Edmund Burke and Immanuel Kant—rests on an encounter with something too immense or too powerful for the human mind to comprehend fully.—
Sebastian Smee,
New Yorker,
4 May 2026
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The hotel staff moved us to their own dormitory higher up on the land to rest.—
Angela Andaloro,
PEOPLE,
4 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Sprawl.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sprawl. Accessed 8 May. 2026.
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