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
With the first option, the jackpot amount is spread out over 30 years as an annual payment.
—
Raphael Romero Ruiz, The Arizona Republic, 20 June 2024
We’re so spread out with all the streaming channels.
—Rachel Syme, The New Yorker, 16 June 2024
The North Fork’s calling card is the slew of Class IV rapids coming in the first hour of the trip, while rapids among the other forks are more spread out.
—Chris Biderman, Sacramento Bee, 7 June 2024
The court permitted the Ten Commandments to remain because, despite their religious significance, the monument was a more passive display than in Stone: spread out across 22 acres, rather than posted on the courthouse door.
—Charles J. Russo, The Conversation, 4 June 2024
See all Example Sentences for spread out 
Raphael Romero Ruiz, The Arizona Republic, 20 June 2024
We’re so spread out with all the streaming channels.
—Rachel Syme, The New Yorker, 16 June 2024
The North Fork’s calling card is the slew of Class IV rapids coming in the first hour of the trip, while rapids among the other forks are more spread out.
—Chris Biderman, Sacramento Bee, 7 June 2024
The court permitted the Ten Commandments to remain because, despite their religious significance, the monument was a more passive display than in Stone: spread out across 22 acres, rather than posted on the courthouse door.
—Charles J. Russo, The Conversation, 4 June 2024
See all Example Sentences for spread out
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'spread out.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near spread out
Cite this Entry
“Spread out.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/spread%20out. Accessed 7 Jul. 2024.
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