sprawled; sprawling; sprawls
1
: to lie or sit with arms and legs spread out
2
: to spread or develop irregularly or without restraint
bushes sprawling along the road
sprawling suburbs
a sprawling narrative
3
a
: to creep or clamber awkwardly
b
archaic
: to lie thrashing or tossing about
: to cause to spread out carelessly or awkwardly
sprawled out her books on the table
1
: an irregularly spread or scattered group or mass
2
3
: the act, posture, or condition of sprawling
Examples of sprawl in a Sentence
Verb
The kids sprawled on the floor to watch TV.
She tripped and went sprawling into the table.
The city sprawls along the coastline.
The bushes were sprawling along the road.
Recent Examples on the Web
Perri Ormont Blumberg Fox News, Fox News, 26 Dec. 2024
The 16-count indictment lays out a sprawling investigation and charges the three defendants with exploiting young men in New York City, the Hamptons and at hotels around the world, including in England, France, Italy, Morocco and St. Barts.
—Michael Loria, USA TODAY, 25 Dec. 2024
Ed Jennings, Forbes, 18 Dec. 2024
Because of this sprawl, there are many different Texases.
—Chris Vognar, The Atlantic, 9 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for sprawl 
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Verb
The model train display sprawls across some 1,200 square feet with 25 model trains wending their way through landscapes as diverse as the White House, the Indianapolis skyline and the Grand Canyon.
—Perri Ormont Blumberg Fox News, Fox News, 26 Dec. 2024
The 16-count indictment lays out a sprawling investigation and charges the three defendants with exploiting young men in New York City, the Hamptons and at hotels around the world, including in England, France, Italy, Morocco and St. Barts.
—Michael Loria, USA TODAY, 25 Dec. 2024
Noun
Teams can automate workflows, adjust processes in real time and achieve greater efficiency without the threat of more sprawl or wayward applications that present security vulnerabilities.
—Ed Jennings, Forbes, 18 Dec. 2024
Because of this sprawl, there are many different Texases.
—Chris Vognar, The Atlantic, 9 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for sprawl
Dictionary Entries Near sprawl
Cite this Entry
“Sprawl.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sprawl. Accessed 2 Jan. 2025.
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