sprawl
Americanverb (used without object)
-
sprawls,
present (3rd person singular)
-
sprawled,
past participle, past
-
sprawling
present participle
-
to be stretched or spread out in an unnatural or ungraceful manner.
The puppy's legs sprawled in all directions.
-
to sit or lie in a relaxed position with the limbs spread out carelessly or ungracefully.
He sprawled across the bed.
-
to spread out, extend, or be distributed in a straggling or irregular manner, as vines, buildings, handwriting, etc.
-
to crawl awkwardly with the aid of all the limbs; scramble.
verb (used with object)
-
sprawls,
present (3rd person singular)
-
sprawled,
past participle, past
-
sprawling
present participle
-
to stretch out (the limbs) as in sprawling.
-
to spread out or distribute in a straggling manner.
noun
-
sprawls
plural
-
the act or an instance of sprawling; a sprawling posture.
-
a straggling array of something.
verb
-
(intr) to sit or lie in an ungainly manner with one's limbs spread out
-
to fall down or knock down with the limbs spread out in an ungainly way
-
to spread out or cause to spread out in a straggling fashion
his handwriting sprawled all over the paper
noun
-
the act or an instance of sprawling
-
a sprawling posture or arrangement of items
-
-
the urban area formed by the expansion of a town or city into surrounding countryside
the urban sprawl
-
the process by which this has happened
-
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
-
sprawlsimple
-
sprawlssimple
-
have sprawledperfect
-
has sprawledperfect
-
am sprawlingprogressive
-
are sprawlingprogressive
-
is sprawlingprogressive
-
have been sprawlingperfect progressive
-
has been sprawlingperfect progressive
Past
-
sprawledsimple
-
had sprawledperfect
-
was sprawlingprogressive
-
were sprawlingprogressive
-
had been sprawlingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of sprawl
before 1000; Middle English spraulen to move awkwardly, Old English spreawlian; cognate with Frisian (N dial.) spraweli
Explanation
When you sprawl, you spread out in an ungainly way, like when you're lying down comfortably on the sofa with your legs and arms flung out around you. As a noun, the most common use of this word nowadays is in the phrase "urban sprawl" (or "suburban sprawl"), which describes municipal development — things like new neighborhoods, shopping malls, and office complexes — that spreads out of control, according to no approved plan, and usually with pretty ugly results.
Vocabulary lists containing sprawl
The Diary of Anne Frank
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
List 3
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
The Cay
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
But beneath the sprawl, the movie is essentially a two-man character study.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 20, 2026
In Lima's suburb of San Juan de Lurigancho, dusty hilltop neighbourhoods sprawl precariously down the slopes.
From BBC ● Jun. 6, 2026
Rules required minimum lot sizes of 5,750 square feet for single-family homes, and strict single-family zoning ordinances were criticized for creating sprawl.
From Barron's ● May 31, 2026
According to Georgette Blau, founder and owner of On Location Tours, L.A.’s sprawl has something to do with that.
From Los Angeles Times ● May 20, 2026
The thing was tremendous, a gangly sprawl of clawed arms and legs, and just the sudden intensity of its presence threw Sierra backward.
From "Shadowshaper" by Daniel José Older
But the idea behind it sprawls for miles and keeps Bowen talking for hours on end: Route 66.
From Los Angeles Times ● May 12, 2026
It sprawls across 10,010 square feet and is the epitome of luxury thanks to its lush greenery, which makes it the perfect place for a star to seek privacy.
From MarketWatch ● Apr. 23, 2026
The city of Los Angeles sprawls across roughly 500 square miles, creating logistical hurdles if nothing else for a candidate seeking citywide office from a remote location, noted Democratic political consultant Mike Trujillo.
From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 10, 2026
The megastore sprawls across 150,000 square feet—triple the size of a typical store.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Mar. 14, 2026
Minchacaman was a powerful figure who could have taken In this rare aerial photograph—taken in 1931, before modern looting blasted the site—the ruined Chimor capital of Chan Chan sprawls across the northern Peruvian coast.
From "1491" by Charles C. Mann
Meanwhile, at a sports hall in Las Rozas de Madrid just outside the capital, the displaced sprawled on camp beds, held their heads in their hands and comforted pets as they awaited news.
From Barron's ● Jul. 27, 2026
Someone sprawled on the couch reading a book.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 16, 2026
Blue skies extended to the horizon, and a small colony of tents, camper vans and motorhomes sprawled out across the lush alfalfa fields.
From Salon ● Jun. 22, 2026
Behind the Peace River plant, sprawled out across a massive lawn, and behind a chain-link fence, were the ruins of a processing infrastructure.
From Slate ● Apr. 20, 2026
She was struggling to break through while, in the distance, Percy and Annabeth lay sprawled and unmoving at the foot of two black-and-silver metal doors.
From "The House of Hades" by Rick Riordan
The company said the layoffs were aimed at making the platform "simpler and faster" and at reducing coordination delays in what has become a sprawling operation.
From Barron's ● Sep. 2, 2026
Beijing has strengthened ties with developing nations and increased trade and investment through its Belt and Road Initiative, a sprawling infrastructure program that serves as a tool for China to cultivate global influence.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 2, 2026
The sprawling retreat encompasses hundreds of acres and features five main residences, along with dozens of private beaches, an outdoor theater, a gym and tennis courts.
From MarketWatch ● Sep. 1, 2026
Lawmakers say the legislation would help protect consumers from growing electricity costs driven upward by the sprawling facilities and to track the centers’ immense energy and water consumption.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 1, 2026
It was like they’d taken the sprawling complex of the Academy and shrunk it.
From "Glitch" by Laura Martin
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
