sprawling

verb

present participle of sprawl
1
as in extending
to extend outwards from or as if from a central point The suburbs sprawl for miles beyond the city's downtown.

Related Words

Relevance

Dissimilar Words
2
as in sitting
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.

Related Words

Dissimilar Words

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 sprawling In Indian Creek Village, money can buy you a $100 million mansion, a sprawling waterfront compound and a front-row seat to one of the most exclusive enclaves in South Florida. — Luisa Yanez updated September 3, Miami Herald, 3 Sep. 2026 There are also numerous sprawling suites including the Presidential Suite, whose terrace faces the Royal Palace. — Eddi Fiegel, Robb Report, 3 Sep. 2026 The house was designed in 1902 by Chicago architect Jarvis Hunt with gardens, stables and several buildings on the sprawling grounds — including a gardener’s cottage. — Pete Grathoff, Kansas City Star, 2 Sep. 2026 The company also recently unveiled plans to build a new sprawling $100 billion Starship launch facility in Louisiana in an area generally referred to as Pecan Island, where up to 12 launch towers may be constructed. — Eric Lagatta, USA Today, 2 Sep. 2026 We’re particularly drawn to the removable bolster pillow, which supplies ample neck support for sprawling out but can also be detached for a cleaner appearance. — Yelena Moroz Alpert, Architectural Digest, 2 Sep. 2026 In the 1930s, his wife, Ruth Bell Graham, had attended high school there, on a sprawling Presbyterian mission compound on Pyongyang’s west side. — Literary Hub, 2 Sep. 2026 As the video above by Lake Como Wonders highlights, owners also enjoy access to the sprawling grounds, shared pool, private beach, two parking spots, and a private dock and boathouse. — Jerry Perez, The Drive, 2 Sep. 2026 Then head to sprawling Soweto (an acronym for South Western Township), once home of Nelson Mandela and Desmond Tutu, as well as the base of the country’s civil rights movement. — Paul Jebara, Condé Nast Traveler, 27 Aug. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for sprawling
  1. extending
  2. sitting
  3. diverging
  4. flopping
  5. expanding
  6. straddling
  7. radiating
  8. squatting
Verb
  • Finally, market concerns are extending from trading mechanics to core fundamentals.
    — , CNBC, 28 Aug. 2026
  • The Bobcats continued to build momentum when Johnson took another pass and turned it into a 50-yard touchdown, extending Benbrook’s lead to 36-29.
    — Riley Ledesma, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of extending
Verb
  • Amid a scorching stretch, Bregman ends the month with his lifetime total now sitting at two.
    — Meghan Montemurro, Chicago Tribune, 1 Sep. 2026
  • While sitting next to her at Sant Ambroeus in New York, Twine is as light and calm as ever, despite experiencing such pivotal life accomplishments in such quick succession.
    — Kiana Murden, Vogue, 1 Sep. 2026
Definition of sitting
Verb
  • PennDOT will be implementing a diverging diamond interchange near Robinson Town Centre that doesn't use the existing bridge over the Parkway West.
    — John Shumway, CBS News, 17 Aug. 2026
  • There is a constant sense of movement, of visions and voices converging, diverging, allowing gaps and silences, but also a sense of subterranean connectedness.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 11 Aug. 2026
Definition of diverging
Verb
  • The video shows the peacock, referred to by some in the neighborhood as Sugar, seemingly flopping around then collapsing.
    — Megan Fahrney, ABC News, 20 Aug. 2026
  • The papers were flopping off the edge of his desk, trembling in the breeze from the window; her hand reached out to stop them.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 18 Aug. 2026
Definition of flopping
Verb
  • Axel Springer is expanding in the Middle East, joining a growing number of Western publishers with an editorial presence in the region — and testing a key pillar of its editorial beliefs.
    — Max Tani, semafor.com, 31 Aug. 2026
  • Mamdani’s signature 2-K program is scheduled to launch this fall with 2,000 students in select school districts, with the goal of expanding citywide over four years.
    — Cayla Bamberger, New York Daily News, 31 Aug. 2026
Definition of expanding
Verb
  • This town sits in the Central Idaho Rockies, straddling national forests in the Wood River Valley.
    — Daniel de Visé, USA Today, 25 Aug. 2026
  • Back on ground level, The Patio is a more relaxed bar straddling the entrance of the restaurant.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 24 Aug. 2026
Definition of straddling
Verb
  • The map shows other towers close by, each radiating a string that is fastened to the map when other towers radio in readings.
    — Robert Sullivan, New Yorker, 17 Aug. 2026
  • The first breathtaking photos of totality for the total solar eclipse 2026 are pouring in, revealing incredible views of the sun's atmosphere radiating out from behind the moon's colossal silhouette.
    — Anthony Wood, Space.com, 12 Aug. 2026
Definition of radiating
Verb
  • With the bulk of his work at practice done for the day, Achord retreats to the back of the end zone with Koonz, squatting and scribbling something on paper.
    — Matt Schneidman, New York Times, 25 Aug. 2026
  • With their three dogs in view, Prince Harry could be seen squatting and bracing for a big hug from Lili, who was running into his arms; while Meghan reached out for Archie who was running towards her.
    — Stephanie Sengwe, PEOPLE, 23 July 2026
Definition of squatting

Browse Nearby Words

sprawled
sprawling
sprawls
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Sprawling.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sprawling. Accessed 5 Sep. 2026.

Copy Citation
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

A List of Most Commonly Confused Words

Why do we use apostrophes to show possession?

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

The Longest Long Words List

Stay Woke

Ye Olde Nincompoop: Old-Fashioned Words for 'Stupid'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Words of the Week - Sept. 4
See More

Popular

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

The Longest Long Words List

Stay Woke
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
anagrams on a chalk board
Word Builder Quiz Vol. 2 Pick the letter that when added to a word will ma...
See All