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

They have been a part of the city landscape since the 1930s, when urban sprawl began to encroach on their rural territory.

From Barron's • Mar. 13, 2026

The sheer sprawl of the record—24 tracks, 100 minutes—is daunting.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 10, 2026

Instead it sent him on empty assignments, like meandering the vacuous desert sprawl.

From Slate • Feb. 2, 2026

That first morning, with coffee in hand, I tiptoed into the lounge, sank into an armchair and watched the desert sprawl while wispy clouds clung to the horizon under a brightening sky.

From Los Angeles Times • Dec. 9, 2025

First they were driving through countryside, then, imperceptibly, the occasional town became a low suburban sprawl, and the sprawl became the city.

From "American Gods" by Neil Gaiman

Related Words

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