sprawl

American  

[sprawl] / sprɔl /

verb (used without object)

1. to be stretched or spread out in an unnatural or ungraceful manner.

   The puppy's legs sprawled in all directions.

2. to sit or lie in a relaxed position with the limbs spread out carelessly or ungracefully.

   He sprawled across the bed.

3. to spread out, extend, or be distributed in a straggling or irregular manner, as vines, buildings, handwriting, etc.

   Synonyms:

   branch, straggle

4. to crawl awkwardly with the aid of all the limbs; scramble.

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verb (used with object)

1. to stretch out (the limbs) as in sprawling.

2. to spread out or distribute in a straggling manner.

noun

1. the act or an instance of sprawling; a sprawling posture.

2. a straggling array of something.

sprawl British  

/ sprɔːl /

verb

1. (intr) to sit or lie in an ungainly manner with one's limbs spread out

2. to fall down or knock down with the limbs spread out in an ungainly way

3. to spread out or cause to spread out in a straggling fashion

   his handwriting sprawled all over the paper

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noun

1. the act or an instance of sprawling

2. a sprawling posture or arrangement of items

3. 1. the urban area formed by the expansion of a town or city into surrounding countryside

      the urban sprawl

   2. the process by which this has happened

Other Word Forms

• sprawler
  noun
• sprawlingly
  adverb
• sprawly
  adjective

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.

Example Sentences

Sprawl development and control efforts targeting ground squirrels, whose burrows the owls appropriate, have pushed the owls out of the grasslands they dwell in.

From Los Angeles Times • Aug. 2, 2024

Sprawl as a pejorative term for poorly planned development was gaining currency as a fledgling environmental movement emerged.

From Salon • Oct. 16, 2021

Sprawl on a kidney-shaped banquette with a personal mixologist.

From New York Times • Sep. 28, 2016

Arcade Fire have an impressive roster of interactives on their discography, including several projects with Canadian Vincent Morisset; Neon Bible, Sprawl II, and the synchronised artwork project Morisset made for The Suburbs album.

From The Guardian • Mar. 18, 2013

Urban Sprawl The cities are spreading out like amoebae.

From Down with the Cities by Nakashima, Tadashi

Related Words

• drape
• flop
• loll
• lounge
• ramble
• recline
• slouch
• straggle