spread 1 of 2

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as in to apply
to put a layer of on a surface we spread the fertilizer over the lawn evenly until it was fully covered

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as in to circulate
to become known once news of the war's end had spread, spontaneous celebrations broke out everywhere

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as in to part
to go or move in different directions from a central point the walls of the old barn spread under the weight of the snow on the roof

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spread

2 of 2

noun

1
as in quilt
a decorative cloth used as a top covering for a bed bought a brightly colored spread for summer

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as in spectrum
the distance or extent between possible extremes the spread of grades was from 15 to 79 on that quiz

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5

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of spread
Verb
Images can even span the entire two-page spread for a dramatic look. Architectural Digest, 10 Oct. 2025 But so, too, do consumers, even though awareness is spreading across young generations. Jasmin Malik Chua, Sourcing Journal, 10 Oct. 2025
Noun
Ward added that habitat limitations are pushing birds to congregate and share space, which makes viral spread more likely. Evan Bush, NBC news, 9 Oct. 2025 Think Outside The Bowl This dip will be the talk of your tailgate, potluck, or party spread, but there’s more than one way to enjoy it. Josh Miller, Southern Living, 9 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for spread
Recent Examples of Synonyms for spread
Verb
  • All opinions expressed by the CNBC Pro contributors are solely their opinions and do not reflect the opinions of CNBC, NBC UNIVERSAL, their parent company or affiliates, and may have been previously disseminated by them on television, radio, internet or another medium.
    Carter Braxton Worth, CNBC, 10 Oct. 2025
  • In all such cases, experts have worried that, although such disinformation might ultimately be corrected, there might not be sufficient time to get the word out, especially if AI fakes are disseminated very close to a key electoral moment — a kind of last-minute surprise.
    John Wihbey, Big Think, 7 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • This philosophy applies to business owners seeking to develop managers and leaders within their organizations.
    Joe Boylan, New York Times, 16 Oct. 2025
  • Their work could be a critical step toward the safe and rational decommissioning of the Fukushima Daiichi plant, and the technology could be applied to nuclear accident sites elsewhere in the world.
    Aman Tripathi, Interesting Engineering, 15 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • Plans aren’t finalized — a petition circulating among lawmakers still needs the signatures of two-thirds of members in the House and Senate — but momentum is firmly on the side of reconvening in Topeka next month.
    Matthew Kelly, Kansas City Star, 15 Oct. 2025
  • Since the start of the ceasefire, videos of extrajudicial killings by Hamas in public squares began circulating online.
    Jennifer Griffin , Rachel Wolf, FOXNews.com, 15 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • By regularly sending feedback signals within a WiFi network, known as beamforming feedback information (BFI), devices transmit data in an unencrypted form that can be read by third parties.
    Bojan Stojkovski, Interesting Engineering, 11 Oct. 2025
  • Unlike mosquitoes and flies that can carry diseases, most spiders rarely transmit communicable diseases to humans.
    Arricca Elin SanSone, Southern Living, 11 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • Both women wore their hair parted down the center and in subtle waves that fell past their shoulders.
    Kayla Grant, PEOPLE, 14 Oct. 2025
  • Under the trees was dense foliage that occasionally parted to reveal a bird, langur, or cheetal, which reassured him in the stillness of the empty road.
    Hazlitt, Hazlitt, 8 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • Thus, even if a farmer primarily relied on corn for sustenance and/or trade, planting beans and squash alongside the maize increased the nutritive value of the same area.
    JSTOR Daily, JSTOR Daily, 14 Oct. 2025
  • The alliance should also increase its training with an eye toward degrading or destroying the Kaliningrad facilities should direct hostilities break out.
    James Stavridis, Twin Cities, 13 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • If your bed could use a cozy upgrade, this quilt is a simple way to refresh your space for any season.
    Alexandra Emanuelli, Southern Living, 13 Oct. 2025
  • The leather straps and white boucle create some nice contrast but any DIY-ers will also be able to drape over their own favorite throw blanket or quilt for a bespoke look.
    Audrey Lee, Architectural Digest, 8 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • Home refrigerators offered modern freezer compartments, ready to fill with fish sticks, frozen waffles and TV dinners.
    Alice Callahan, New York Times, 16 Oct. 2025
  • That dinner was the essence of who Jack is as a person.
    Jean E. Palmieri, Footwear News, 15 Oct. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Spread.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/spread. Accessed 16 Oct. 2025.

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