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Another word for spread

a-z
Verb

  1. To move or arrange so as to cover a larger area

    See also:

    move

  2. To extend over a wide area

      1. To lie scattered over or about (a surface)
      2. To be or become dispersed over (a surface):
      3. To scatter (things) over or about a surface
      1. To cause to separate and go in different directions:
      2. To distribute loosely; strew:
      3. To diffuse or deflect (radiation or particles).
      1. To send out rays of heat, light, etc.; be radiant
      2. To send or spread out from or as if from a center:
      3. To come forth or spread out in rays
      1. To place in separate pieces or examples over an area; scatter:
      2. (Logic) To use (a term) so as to include all individuals or entities of a given class.
      3. To apportion so as to be evenly spread throughout a given area:
      1. To scatter far and wide; spread abroad, as if sowing; promulgate widely
      2. To spread abroad; promulgate:
      3. To become diffused; spread.
      1. To cause to attenuate and disappear:
      2. To break up (light) into its component colored rays
      3. To break up and scatter in all directions; spread about; distribute widely
      1. To make known to or cause to be used by large numbers of people; disseminate:
      2. To cause to spread out freely:
      3. To become widely dispersed; spread out:
      1. To spread widely among persons or places; disseminate:
      2. To cause to move about or be distributed:
      3. To move about or flow freely, as air.
    See also:

    wide

    move

  3. To extend over the surface of

    See also:

    put-on

  4. To cause (a disease) to pass to another or others

      1. To send out a signal.
      2. To cause something such as an infection to spread; pass on.
      3. To send or cause to go from one person or place to another, esp. across intervening space or distance; transfer; dispatch; convey
      1. To go through a trial, test, examination, or course of study successfully; satisfy given requirements or standards
      2. To cause or allow to get by an obstacle, obstruction, etc.
      3. To pronounce or give (an opinion or judgment)
      1. To place in the hands of; pass:
      2. To accord or tender to another:
      3. (Slang) To abandon a claim, fight, etc.; give in or give up
      1. To make known; communicate in words, actions, appearance, etc.
      2. (Obs.) To take away secretly
      3. To take from one place to another; transport; carry
      1. (Ecclesiastical) To receive Communion.
      2. To make known; give (information, signals, or messages)
      3. To give or exchange information, signals, or messages in any way, as by talk, gestures, or writing
      1. To take further; advance:
      2. To sing (a melody, for example) on key:
      3. To give impetus to; propel:
    See also:

    move

  5. To make (information) generally known

      1. (Physics) To cause something such as a wave to move in some direction or through a medium; transmit.
      2. To transmit (esp. sound waves or electromagnetic radiation) through a medium
      3. To cause to spread to extend; to impel or continue forward in space; as, to propagate sound or light.
      1. To make widespread
      2. To make known the terms of (a new or proposed law or statute)
      3. To put (a law, for example) into effect by formal public announcement.
      1. To make noise or a noise
      2. To spread about (a report, rumor, etc.)
      3. To talk much or loudly
      1. To scatter far and wide; spread abroad, as if sowing; promulgate widely
      2. To spread abroad; promulgate:
      3. To become diffused; spread.
      1. To move about or flow freely, as air.
      2. To cause to move about or be distributed:
      3. To move in a circle, circuit, or course and return to the same point, as blood through the body
      1. To spread a report of; rumor
      2. To spread news of; repeat.
      3. (US, archaic British) to spread, promulgate or disseminate a rumour, news etc.
      1. To appear as speaker, presenter or performer in a broadcast program
      2. To communicate or transmit (a signal, a message, or content, such as audio or video programming) to numerous recipients simultaneously over a communication network:
      3. To transmit a message or signal via radio waves or electronic means
      1. (Heraldry) To describe (a coat of arms) in proper terms.
      2. To display conspicuously or publicly.
      3. To paint or depict (a coat of arms) with accurate detail.
      1. To shoot rapidly and continuously:
      2. To prepare or lead (the way in an endeavor):
      3. To give off a strong, vivid light; shine very brightly; glare
      1. To tell about or praise (a product, service, etc.) publicly, as through newspapers, handbills, radio, television, etc., so as to make people want to buy it
      2. To call the public's attention to things for sale or rent, help wanted, etc., as by printed or broadcast notices; sponsor advertisements
      3. To provide public information about (a product, service etc.) in order to attract public awareness and increase sales. [from 19th c.]
    Idioms:
    See also:

    knowledge

  6. To become known far and wide

    Idioms:
    See also:

    knowledge

  7. To arrange tableware upon (a table) in preparation for a meal

      1. To put in a specified position or arrangement; place:
      2. To diminish or decline; wane:
      3. (Botany) To produce, as after pollination:
      1. Simple past tense of lie, when pertaining to position.
      2. To place; put; set
      3. To prepare (a table) for a meal; set with silverware, plates, etc.
    See also:

    order

Noun

  1. The act of increasing in dimensions, scope, or inclusiveness

      1. Any of the telephones connected to a PBX or other telephone system, each having a number assigned for direct calling; also, the number so assigned
      2. (Computers) A set of characters that follow a filename and are separated from it by a period, used to identify the kind of file:
      3. The act of extending or the condition of being extended:
      1. The amount, degree, or extent of expansion
      2. A development or full treatment, as of a topic
      3. (Mathematics) A quantity written in an extended form, such as in a sum or product of terms.
      1. A reproduction, as of a photograph, on a larger scale
      2. Something that has been enlarged, especially a photographic reproduction or a copy larger than the original print or negative.
      3. An act of enlarging or the state of being enlarged.
    See also:

    increase

  2. A wide and open area, as of land, sky, or water

      1. A long pole mounted on a pivot, with a bucket at one end, used for raising water, as from a well
      2. Extent or range; stretch; reach
      3. (Football) A play in which the ball carrier runs a relatively long way toward a sideline before turning toward the line of scrimmage
      1. A continuous or unbroken length, area, or expanse:
      2. (Baseball) A series of movements in which a pitcher, standing with the glove side facing home plate, raises both hands to the height of the head and then lowers them to the chest or waist for a short pause before pitching the ball. It is used especially when runners are on base because it gives base runners less time to steal than they have during a full windup.
      3. An unbroken length, tract, or space; continuous extent or distance
      1. An interval or period of time, often one of specified length
      2. (--- Mathematics) A set of elements or points satisfying specified geometric postulates:
      3. An area provided for a particular purpose:
      1. A continuous, uninterrupted extent or stretch
      2. The extent or distance something can reach:
      3. The distance or extent covered in stretching, obtaining, influencing, etc.
      1. The space, amount, or degree to which a thing extends; size; length; breadth
      2. The range, magnitude, or distance over which a thing extends:
      3. An extensive space or area:
      1. A period of increased economic or business activity.
      2. The extent or amount by which something has expanded.
      3. The amount, degree, or extent of expansion
      1. A wide and open extent, as of surface, land, or sky.
      2. A large, open area or unbroken surface; wide extent; great breadth
      3. The distance or amount of expansion.
      1. (Horse Racing) A space that is a certain distance back from the finish line: in order to be qualified for future heats, a horse must have reached this space by the time the winner has completed the course
      2. (Painting) The depicting of distance, as in a landscape
      3. The extent of space between points on a measured course.
    See also:

    place

  3. A large meal elaborately prepared or served

      1. A signal or program made by means of such transmission:
      2. The act of providing food, especially to an animal:
      3. Food given to animals; fodder
      1. One taken by a person who is the guest of a business or agency seeking favor or patronage.
      2. (Gaming) 20-40 table gaming rooms for which the capacity and limits change daily. Junket rooms are often rented out to private vendors who run tour groups through them and give a portion of the proceeds to the main casino.
      3. A feast or banquet.
      1. A large, elaborately prepared meal, usually for many persons and often accompanied by entertainment; a banquet.
      2. Something giving great pleasure or satisfaction:
      3. A periodic religious festival commemorating an event or honoring a god or saint.
      1. A formal dinner for many people, usually with toasts and speeches
      2. A ceremonial dinner honoring a particular guest or occasion.
      3. An elaborate meal; feast
    See also:

    ingestion

© Roget’s II: The New Thesaurus Copyright © 2010 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio. Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

Another word for spread

Modifier
  1. See also:

    distributed

    Antonyms:
Noun

  1. Extent

      1. The distance or amount of expansion.
      2. A large, open area or unbroken surface; wide extent; great breadth
      3. A wide and open extent, as of surface, land, or sky.
      1. The area or sphere in which an activity takes place:
      2. The opportunity or freedom to wander or explore:
      3. The maximum extent or distance limiting operation, action, or effectiveness, as of a sound, radio signal, instrument, firearm, or aircraft:
      1. The range or extent of action, inquiry, etc., or of an activity, concept, etc.
      2. The extent of the mind's grasp; range of perception or understanding
      3. The range of one's perceptions, thoughts, or actions:
    See also:

    measure

    extent

  2. A spread cloth

    See also:

    tablecloth

    cover

    bedspread

  3. A spread food

      1. Something, such as a petroleum ointment, having the consistency of a soft, semisolid food substance.
      2. A soft, semisolid food substance with a resilient consistency, made by the setting of a liquid containing pectin or gelatin or by the addition of gelatin to a liquid, especially such a substance made of fruit juice containing pectin boiled with sugar.
      3. A jelly sandal.
      1. A kind of jam made of two or more fruits, often with nuts or raisins added
      2. A jam made of fruits stewed in sugar.
      1. Fruit cooked with sugar to protect against decay or fermentation.
      2. An area maintained for the protection of wildlife or natural resources.
      3. A reservation, a nature preserve.
    See also:

    preserves

    cheese

    butter

  4. *A meal

    See also:

    meal

    lunch

    dinner

Verb

  1. To distribute

    See also:

    sow

    scatter

    radiate

  2. To become spread

  3. To extend

    See also:

    reach

    grow

    Antonyms:

  4. To apply over a surface

      1. To give a superficial or deceptive appearance to:
      2. To impart a smooth surface or appearance to, as with varnish
      3. To cover with varnish; brush varnish on
      1. To grow gradually larger, more numerous, etc.; increase in strength, intensity, volume, etc.
      2. To remove facial or body hair by covering the skin with a layer of wax that is peeled off after hardening, uprooting the encased hairs.
      3. To rub, polish, cover, smear, or treat with wax
      1. To make less brilliant; soften:
      2. To become widely dispersed; spread out:
      3. To make known to or cause to be used by large numbers of people; disseminate:
      1. To be the top surface or covering of
      2. To cover over the surface of (a road, etc.), as with concrete, asphalt, or brick
      3. To cover uniformly, as if with pavement.
      1. To coat with a gold color
      2. To cover with or as if with a thin layer of gold.
      3. To give an often deceptively attractive or improved appearance to.
      1. To affix conspicuously, usually with a paste:
      2. To cover conspicuously, as with things pasted on; overspread:
      3. To cover, coat, or repair with plaster.
      1. To conceal, as something common or crude, with a deceptively attractive outward show.
      2. To overlay (a surface) with a thin layer of a fine or decorative material.
      3. To cover with a thin layer of more costly material; esp., to cover (wood) with wood of finer quality
      1. To disperse (a liquid, for example) in a mass or jet of droplets, particles, or small pieces.
      2. To direct a spray onto; treat with or subject to a spray
      3. To apply a spray to (a surface); hit with a spray.
      1. To strike or land on in a dispersed way:
      2. To scatter in drops or small blobs
      3. To scatter (a liquid, for example) in drops or small amounts:
      1. To apply medicine to; swab:
      2. To cover or decorate with paint; color
      3. To serve as a surface to be coated with paint:
      1. To form an enamel-like surface on
      2. To coat, inlay, or decorate with enamel.
      3. To inlay or cover with enamel
      1. To provide (an expression or a text) with a gloss or glosses.
      2. To apply a gloss to:
      3. To give a bright sheen or luster to.
      1. To give a glossy finish to (paper) by pressing between metal sheets or rollers.
      2. To cover with armor plate:
      3. To coat or cover with a thin layer of metal.
      1. To spread over or across (something); to permeate, overrun.
      2. To spread or extend over the surface of:
      3. To spread over; cover the surface of
      1. To embellish superficially:
      2. To lay, or spread, something over or across; to cover.
      3. To cover the surface of with a decorative layer or design:
      1. To paint coarsely or unskillfully
      2. To apply paint or coloring with crude, unskillful strokes.
      3. To cover or smear with a soft adhesive substance such as plaster, grease, or mud.
      1. To cover, daub, or soil with something greasy, sticky, or dirty
      2. To apply (a ) to, so as to leave a coating, mark, etc.
      3. To spread or daub (a surface, for example) with a sticky, greasy, or dirty substance.
      1. To cover with a layer of something
      2. To provide or cover with a coat.
      3. To cover with a layer, as of paint.
      1. To put a cover or covering on:
      2. To record or perform a cover of
      3. To lie over or adhere to so as to protect or conceal:

  5. To separate

      1. To strew or distribute widely:
      2. To attenuate and vanish; dissipate:
      3. To distribute (particles) evenly throughout a medium.
      1. To break up (a relationship, for example); dissolve.
      2. To part or break off, as by cutting or with force; cut in two
      3. To cut off (a part) from a whole:
      1. (Archaic) To distribute; share; apportion
      2. (Archaic) To divide into shares or portions.
      3. Partially; in part:
    See also:

    separate

    divide

  6. To make known

      1. To state emphatically or authoritatively; affirm:
      2. To announce officially and publicly; declare:
      3. To show to be
      1. To transmit programs by radio, television, or the Internet
      2. To communicate or transmit (a signal, a message, or content, such as audio or video programming) to numerous recipients simultaneously over a communication network:
      3. To appear as speaker, presenter or performer in a broadcast program
      1. To issue a book, newspaper, software, recorded music, etc. in an electronic form, as on a CD-ROM or on the Internet
      2. To issue a publication.
      3. To write books, scholarly papers, etc. that are published
    See also:

    declare

    advertise

© WEBSTER’S NEW WORLD® ROGET’S A-Z THESAURUS by Charlton Laird and the editors of Webster’s New World dictionaries. Copyright © 1999 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

Sentence Examples

  • A slow, cold smile spread across his face.

  • A smile spread across his face.

  • A smiled spread across his face.

  • He took the blanket from her and spread it on the ground.

  • Spread out the cloak, Antonov.

More sentences →

Words that mention spread in the Dictionary

Words near spread in the Thesaurus