spread 1 of 2

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2
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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5
as in to divide
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

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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

Examples 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
Because pathogens spread by the Aedes aegypti mosquitoes infect some 400 million people each year — with about a quarter developing related diseases — understanding how to disrupt mosquito lifecycles could provide important insights into disease prevention, according to the authors. Sharon Udasin, The Hill, 5 Nov. 2024 Her dance, with disheveled hair, frantic eyes and red vermillion spread across her forehead, was truly chilling. Anupama Chopra, The Hollywood Reporter, 5 Nov. 2024
Noun
Amid already deteriorating ties between Washington and Beijing, relations sunk even further as the Trump administration increasingly blamed China for the spread of the disease first detected in the Chinese city of Wuhan. Thomas G. Moukawsher, Newsweek, 5 Nov. 2024 The ad restrictions, first implemented by Meta in the 2020 election, are intended to prevent the spread of false claims and confusion, especially as Americans await official polling results. Miranda Nazzaro, The Hill, 5 Nov. 2024 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.
    Nishant Pant, CNBC, 5 Nov. 2024
  • If Trump is reelected, Truth Social could become an increasingly important communication tool, in the way that the former president used Twitter to disseminate policy and other information during his administration.
    David Goldman, CNN, 4 Nov. 2024
Verb
  • Director Bruce Goodison applies the tension well in the first two thirds of this efficient Shudder release, but then the plot smacks into a dead-end in its final act.
    Randy Myers, The Mercury News, 7 Nov. 2024
  • This also applies to any Amazon EC2 instance that's been backed up.
    PCMAG, PCMAG, 6 Nov. 2024
Verb
  • Screenshots have also circulated on social media that appear to show that Scherzinger liked an Instagram post by Robert F. Kennedy Jr. that expressed support for a Trump presidency in the caption.
    Jennifer Zhan, Vulture, 9 Nov. 2024
  • Inflammation: Chronic inflammatory conditions can affect how your body uses or stores iron, leading to low circulating ferritin levels.
    Lindsay Curtis, Health, 5 Nov. 2024
Verb
  • Many of the procedures in place for formally establishing the results of the nation’s presidential election were designed when important documents were transmitted across the country on horseback—not by plane or email.
    Brian Bennett, TIME, 2 Nov. 2024
  • Remember that raccoons can transmit rabies to people and pets and distemper to unvaccinated pets, so they should never be handled alive (or deceased).
    Arricca Elin SanSone, Southern Living, 31 Oct. 2024
Verb
  • For about a decade residents and city leaders were divided over how to redevelop the area, with some in support of maximizing the number of housing and office spaces and others resistant to adopting such large projects.
    Stephanie Lam, The Mercury News, 7 Nov. 2024
  • But as the audience becomes more fragmented and divided along political and demographic lines, this trend is not going away.
    Ryan Faughnder, Los Angeles Times, 5 Nov. 2024
Verb
  • Weight-bearing exercises, such as brisk walking, jogging, and dancing, are great for increasing bone density.
    Jianying Zhang, Discover Magazine, 8 Nov. 2024
  • Combined with worries over increasing predator numbers and unpredictable winters, these circumstances had led managers to cut moose tags by more than 50 percent, the study’s authors explain.
    Katie Hill, Outdoor Life, 6 Nov. 2024
Noun
  • Or, if you’re obsessed with your current comforter but still need a little extra weight for winter, check out this blue diamond gauze quilt, which makes for the ideal bedding layer.
    Megan Schaltegger, Better Homes & Gardens, 31 Oct. 2024
  • Perry had compared the people of America to the different fabrics of a quilt that his grandmother pieced for him.
    Emily Witt, The New Yorker, 27 Oct. 2024
Noun
  • The company is also holding dinners featuring local chefs who incorporate cacao into their meals, a day of merry crafts-making and a festive holiday market with chocolatiers and foragers, among other chocolate-centric things.
    Randy McMullen, The Mercury News, 13 Nov. 2024
  • The event includes dinner, drinks, a silent auction and entertainment.
    Margaret Jackson, The Denver Post, 13 Nov. 2024

Thesaurus Entries Near spread

Cite this Entry

“Spread.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/spread. Accessed 21 Nov. 2024.

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