as in to spread
to cause to move outward and apart
He sat with his legs splayed apart. She splayed her fingers to show off her manicure.
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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 splay
Standards ‘are not being met’ The sheepherders’ tent was miles off-trail in the mountains of Idaho, staked on a sagebrush hillside with a wide valley splayed out before it.
—
Ian Max Stevenson, Idaho Statesman, 17 Jan. 2025
Eliza escaped upstairs, took off her wet clothes, and lay naked, splayed, grotesque on top of the covers.
—Lauren Groff, The New Yorker, 8 Dec. 2024
After, Meg takes my photo in front of the punctuation-less sign the girls at the front desk have splayed on the wall: RALEIGHS 50TH CLASS.
—Raleigh McCool, Longreads, 5 Sep. 2024
The feet had to be splayed out, too, gripping the edge of the box.
—Carl Swanson, Curbed, 31 July 2024
See all Example Sentences for splay 
Ian Max Stevenson, Idaho Statesman, 17 Jan. 2025
Eliza escaped upstairs, took off her wet clothes, and lay naked, splayed, grotesque on top of the covers.
—Lauren Groff, The New Yorker, 8 Dec. 2024
After, Meg takes my photo in front of the punctuation-less sign the girls at the front desk have splayed on the wall: RALEIGHS 50TH CLASS.
—Raleigh McCool, Longreads, 5 Sep. 2024
The feet had to be splayed out, too, gripping the edge of the box.
—Carl Swanson, Curbed, 31 July 2024
See all Example Sentences for splay
Thesaurus Entries Near splay
Cite this Entry
“Splay.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/splay. Accessed 16 Feb. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share