interspersed; interspersing
Synonyms of intersperse

transitive verb

1
: to insert at intervals among other things
interspersing drawings throughout the text
2
: to place something at intervals in or among
intersperse a book with pictures

Did you know?

Intersperse comes from Latin interspersus, a combination of the prefix inter- ("between or among") and sparsus, the past participle of spargere, meaning "to scatter." Sparsus is also the source of sparse.

Examples of intersperse in a Sentence

You should intersperse these pictures evenly throughout the book. Some seagulls were interspersed among the ducks.
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Myers spoke vaguely about winning and losing, while interspersing clips of Ultimate Fighting Championship interviews with fighters after matches. Taylor Seely, AZCentral.com, 3 Sep. 2026 Alice’s revelation is interspersed with her conversation with Catherine. Erin Qualey, Vulture, 31 Aug. 2026 Wails and moans of grief interspersed the chanting, until the small coffin was lowered into the grave. Victoria Davies, Rolling Stone, 31 Aug. 2026 The weekend-long event featured more than 30 artists from China, Korea, Japan, Thailand, the United States and more performing on the arena’s main stage, interspersed with awards and speeches. Dan Rys, Billboard, 28 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for intersperse

Word History

Etymology

Latin interspersus interspersed, from inter- + sparsus, past participle of spargere to scatter — more at spark

First Known Use

1566, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Time Traveler
The first known use of intersperse was in 1566

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Cite this Entry

“Intersperse.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/intersperse. Accessed 7 Sep. 2026.

Kids Definition

intersperse

verb
interspersed; interspersing
1
: to set here and there among other things
intersperse pictures in a book
2
: to vary with things inserted here and there
interspersed the photo album with her poetry
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