bedspread

American  

[bed-spred] / ˈbɛdˌsprɛd /

noun

1. an outer covering, usually decorative, for a bed.

---

bedspread British  

/ ˈbɛdˌsprɛd /

noun

1. a top cover on a bed over other bedclothes

---

Etymology

Origin of bedspread

An Americanism dating back to 1835–45; bed + spread

Compare meaning

How does bedspread compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

• coverlet vs. bedspread

Example Sentences

In the ruins, Sabbagh picked out bits of his family's shattered life -- a scrap of his mother Afaf's bedspread, chunks of wooden furniture from their dining room, a red sofa cushion.

From Barron's • May 20, 2026

Perhaps that’s somewhat different from covering a duvet with a bedspread — although, in fairness, that doesn’t exist either.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 3, 2026

I told her I wanted a white, fake-leather water bed with a black fake-fur bedspread.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 10, 2026

Even in the production design, there are maze-like things that are – sometimes it's the fabric on the bedspread.

From Salon • Aug. 12, 2023

I rip the bedspread off, throwing the pillows across the room.

From "Five Feet Apart" by Rachael Lippincott