sprawl
verb (used without object)
to be stretched or spread out in an unnatural or ungraceful manner.
sprawled
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past participleof sprawl.past participle
A verb form used in perfect and passive verb constructions and that can also function as a modifier.
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past tense formof sprawl.past tense
Used to describe completed actions or previous habitual actions.
sprawlverb (used without object)to be stretched or spread out in an unnatural or ungraceful manner.
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.
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
Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco, one of the top Republican candidates running for California governor, met a woman sprawled on the sidewalk as he walked around Skid Row in downtown Los Angeles.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jan. 7, 2026
Duke, wearing a sleep mask, was sprawled out in his dog bed.
From "Dog Squad" by Chris Grabenstein
