spread
verb (used with object)
to draw, stretch, or open out, especially over a flat surface, as something rolled or folded (often followed byout ).
have been spreading
-
present perfect progressiveof spread.present perfect progressive
Used to describe an action that began in the past, has continued continuously, and is still in progress.
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.
But this virus, which has killed around one in five of those known to have been infected, could have been spreading undetected for months.
From BBC ● Jun. 15, 2026
Birds have been spreading a new clade of the H5N1 avian influenza virus, 2.3.4.4b, around the world since 2021.
From Science Magazine ● Dec. 5, 2024
Death cap mushrooms, for example, have been spreading throughout the western U.S. and look similar to the common puffball.
From National Geographic ● Feb. 14, 2024
Bed bugs may not have been spreading a lot during the pandemic, but deep reservoirs of them were still thriving worldwide.
From Scientific American ● Oct. 13, 2023
I could have been spreading on this jam a little thick.
From "The Light in Hidden Places" by Sharon Cameron
