sprawl
verb (used without object)
to be stretched or spread out in an unnatural or ungraceful manner.
sprawling
-
present participleof sprawl.present participle
A verb form that is used in progressive verb constructions and may also function as a modifier or a gerund.
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.
Dangote's sprawling refinery on the outskirts of Lagos, which began operating two years ago and now processes around 700,000 barrels of crude a day, has transformed the fortunes of Nigeria's oil sector.
From BBC ● Sep. 17, 2026
The FDA had to conduct epidemiological interviews, laboratory testing and traceback through a sprawling produce supply chain; Taco Bell could act on suspicion and pull an ingredient.
From Salon ● Sep. 13, 2026
On the outskirts of the capital, Palma, some locals who can no longer afford an apartment live in sprawling communities of camper vans.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 12, 2026
Boring also said it has finished an industrial tunnel at Tesla’s sprawling factory in Texas that has made it easier to transport finished Cybertruck electric pickups.
From MarketWatch ● Sep. 10, 2026
The city had grown around them over four centuries, cascading down the slopes and then sprawling out over the flat landscape of farms and meadowlands below.
From "The Gene" by Siddhartha Mukherjee
