spread
spread — verb
1. to gradually take up extra space by moving outward in many directions, so that t
to gradually take up extra space by moving outward in many directions, so that the area filled keeps growing; or to cause this to happen to something.
The wildfire spread quickly through the dry pine forest north of Athens.
intransitive: spread + adverbial of direction
Trang watched the ink spread slowly across the wet paper.
Strong winds spread the smoke from the factory over three nearby villages.
transitive: agent spreads X over area
By June, the lily pads had spread to cover almost half of the small pond.
A warm feeling spread through Kenji's chest as he opened the letter from home.
metaphor: feeling spreads through body
- spread quickly
- spread rapidly
- spread through
- spread across
- contract
shrink inward, opposite of expanding outward
Grammar Patterns
spread + adverbial of place
spread + object + adverbial
Usage Note
Often used with directional prepositions (through, across, over, into, outward). The intransitive form is more common when describing natural processes; the transitive form needs an outside agent (wind, person) doing the spreading.
Common Mistakes
2. if a disease, idea, habit, or feeling spreads, an increasing number of people, p
if a disease, idea, habit, or feeling spreads, an increasing number of people, places, or things start to be affected by it; you can also say that someone or something spreads it.
The flu spread through Christopher's school in less than a week.
subject is a disease
Panic spread among the passengers when the lights on the train went out.
subject is an emotion
Health workers helped spread good hygiene habits in remote villages.
transitive: agent spreads habits/ideas
The new music style spread from small clubs in Lagos to dance floors worldwide.
Fear of layoffs spread quickly through the office after the morning meeting.
- spread a disease
- spread panic
- spread among
- spread rapidly
- contain
stop something from spreading further
Grammar Patterns
spread among/through + group
spread + object + among/through + group
Usage Note
Distinguish from sense 8 (verb_b2): sense 2 covers diseases, ideas, emotions, habits — anything intangible that takes hold among people. Sense 8 specifically means telling news or information by speaking. Subjects here include nouns like 'flu', 'fear', 'panic', 'rumour', 'belief'.
Common Mistakes
3. to fill or take up a wide stretch of land, sky, or surface; used when describing
to fill or take up a wide stretch of land, sky, or surface; used when describing the size of something visible such as fields, forests, or a city.
Vineyards spread for miles below the hilltop village where Mauricio grew up.
spread + for + distance
The desert spreads from the western coast all the way to the eastern mountains.
spread from X to Y
A dark grey cloud spread across the sky above the harbour.
Tea plantations spread across the gentle hills outside the town of Munnar.
Empty wheat fields spread between Aoi's hometown and the foothills to the north.
spread between + two reference points
- spread across
- spread for miles
- spread along
Grammar Patterns
spread + adverbial of place
Usage Note
Distinguish from sense 1: sense 3 describes static size (a thing already occupies a wide area), while sense 1 describes a process of growing wider over time. Common subjects: forests, fields, cities, clouds, plantations.
Common Mistakes
4. to be located, or to put something, in many separate places rather than gathered
to be located, or to put something, in many separate places rather than gathered in one spot; often used in the passive form 'be spread'.
The bank's offices are spread across twelve countries in Southeast Asia.
passive: be spread across + region
Tanvi's relatives are spread between Mumbai, London, and Toronto.
passive with three locations
The charity spreads its volunteers around all the neighbourhoods that need help.
active: agent spreads people across area
Wind farms are now spread along most of the country's northern coastline.
After the merger, Tariq's company spread its engineers between offices in Berlin, Cairo, and Kuala Lumpur.
active: agent spreads people between named locations
- spread across
- spread throughout
- be spread between
- scatter
more random and uneven; suggests no clear pattern
- distribute
more formal; suggests deliberate placement
- concentrate
gather in one place rather than many
Grammar Patterns
be spread + adverbial of location
spread + object + across/around + locations
Usage Note
Most often appears in the passive ('be spread across/throughout/between'). Distinguish from sense 1 — sense 4 describes a static distribution (where things already are), not a process of moving outward.
Common Mistakes
5. to open up something that was folded, rolled, or bunched together, so that it li
to open up something that was folded, rolled, or bunched together, so that it lies flat and covers a bigger area than before — for example a map, a blanket, or a newspaper.
Iris spread the picnic blanket on the grass under the cherry tree.
spread + object + on + surface
Mert spread the old paper map across the kitchen table to plan the route.
The tailor spread the fabric flat before cutting the dress pattern.
spread + object + flat
Élise spread the newspaper open and started reading the front page.
spread + object + open
Please spread the tablecloth out so it covers all four corners.
spread + object + out
- spread out
- spread a blanket
- spread a map
- spread flat
- fold
reverse action: bring edges together
Grammar Patterns
spread + object + out
spread + object + on/over + surface
Usage Note
Distinguish from sense 7 (stretch arms or legs) and sense 6 (arrange small items on a surface). Sense 5 is about a single flexible object becoming flat. Common objects: blanket, map, newspaper, cloth, sheet.
Common Mistakes
6. to place a number of separate things across a surface, with small gaps between t
to place a number of separate things across a surface, with small gaps between them, so that each one can be seen clearly — for example photos, papers, or playing cards.
Liam spread the family photos across the dining table to choose ones for the album.
spread + countable objects + across + surface
The teacher spread the test papers on each desk before the students walked in.
Nia spread her playing cards face down in a neat row on the carpet.
spread + objects + in + arrangement
Joon spread the puzzle pieces out on the floor and looked for the corners.
spread + objects + out
Eri spread the wedding invitations across the desk to compare the two designs.
- spread out
- spread across the table
- spread on the floor
Grammar Patterns
spread + objects + on/across + surface
spread + objects + out
Usage Note
Object is plural or a collective noun (photos, papers, cards, pieces). Distinguish from sense 10 (verb_b2), which is about putting a soft substance such as butter onto a surface — that takes a mass-noun object, not a countable one.
Common Mistakes
7. to push parts of your body — typically arms, hands, legs, or toes — outward so t
to push parts of your body — typically arms, hands, legs, or toes — outward so they end up as far apart as you can manage.
Hui spread her fingers wide and pressed her palm against the cold window.
spread + body part (fingers) + adverb of degree
The yoga teacher told Sahil to spread his toes and grip the mat.
Felipe stood at the edge of the cliff and spread his arms like wings.
spread + arms — common collocation
Spread your legs about shoulder-width apart before you start the squat.
imperative form in fitness instructions
Layla spread her legs wider and lowered herself into a deep stretch on the studio floor.
spread + legs + comparative adverb
- spread your arms wide
- spread your fingers
- spread your legs
- spread your wings
- stretch out
very close in meaning; emphasises the lengthening more than the apartness
- splay
stronger and often awkward or messy spreading, especially of fingers or legs
- close
for fingers or legs being brought together
Grammar Patterns
spread + body part (often plural)
Usage Note
Object is almost always a body part (arms, legs, fingers, toes, wings). Distinguish from sense 5 (verb_b1), which spreads out folded objects like maps or blankets.
Common Mistakes
8. to pass information, news, or rumours to many people, or for that information to
to pass information, news, or rumours to many people, or for that information to reach many people quickly.
News of the wedding spread through the village within a single afternoon.
intransitive: news + spread + through + place
Rania promised not to spread the rumour, but two friends already knew by lunchtime.
transitive: spread + rumour
The journalist helped spread the word about the missing child across social media.
spread the word — fixed phrase for sharing news
Stories about the haunted lighthouse spread quickly among the fishing crews.
Hoa was angry that someone had spread lies about her brother online.
- spread the news
- spread the word
- spread a rumour
- spread gossip
- rumour spread quickly
- suppress
actively keep information from spreading
Grammar Patterns
spread + news/rumour/word
news/rumour + spread (intransitive)
Usage Note
Used both transitively (someone spreads X) and intransitively (X spreads). Common subjects in the intransitive pattern: news, rumour, story, word, panic, gossip. Distinguish from sense 2 (verb_b1), which is about diseases, fires, or feelings physically reaching new places.
Common Mistakes
9. to share something out so that it is divided between several people, or split ac
to share something out so that it is divided between several people, or split across several different times.
Romi spread the holiday costs over six monthly payments instead of paying upfront.
spread + cost + over + time period
The teacher spread the marking among four colleagues so nobody felt overloaded.
spread + work + among + people
Christopher tried to spread his attention equally between the twins at bedtime.
spread + attention + between + two parties
The risk is spread across many small investors rather than carried by one company.
passive: be spread + across
Beatriz spread the volunteer shifts among twelve neighbours so no single household carried the weekend rota alone.
spread + countable abstract task + among + people
- spread the cost
- spread the risk
- spread the workload
- spread payments over
- distribute
more formal; often used in business or logistics contexts
- divide
focuses on splitting into parts rather than the wider sharing
- stagger
specifically for spacing events out over time
- concentrate
put everything in one place or one moment
Grammar Patterns
spread + something + among/between + people
spread + something + over + period of time
Usage Note
Frequently passive when the focus is on the distribution rather than who arranged it. Distinguish from sense 6 (verb_b1), which is about physically arranging objects on a surface — this sense is about dividing abstract things like cost, work, time, or risk.
Common Mistakes
10. to push a soft substance such as butter, jam, or paint over a surface so it form
to push a soft substance such as butter, jam, or paint over a surface so it forms a thin even covering, or (of the substance itself) to be soft enough to do this.
Jabari spread thick peanut butter onto two slices of toast for breakfast.
spread + substance + onto + surface
This butter is hard to spread when it comes straight out of the fridge.
intransitive: subject + spread + adverb
Élise spread a thin layer of glue along the edge of the photo frame.
spread + a layer of + substance
The decorator spread plaster across the cracked wall in long, smooth strokes.
Mathieu showed his daughter how to spread frosting evenly over the warm cake.
- spread butter on toast
- spread jam
- spread glue
- spread evenly
- spread thinly
- scrape off
remove a layer that has been spread on
Grammar Patterns
spread + substance + on/onto + surface
substance + spread + easily/well (intransitive)
Usage Note
Object is a soft, paste-like substance (butter, jam, cream, glue, plaster, paint, frosting). Distinguish from sense 6 (verb_b1), which scatters separate objects like leaves or papers — this sense is about a continuous soft layer.
Common Mistakes
11. (of a smile or similar expression) to gradually grow wider across a person's fac
(of a smile or similar expression) to gradually grow wider across a person's face until it becomes large and obvious.
A wide grin spread across Eliska's face when she saw the surprise puppy.
a grin/smile + spread + across + someone's face — fixed pattern
A slow smile spread over the old man's face as he recognised his granddaughter.
Relief spread across Felipe's face the moment the doctor said the test was clear.
extended use: relief / a smile + spread + across face
A mischievous smile spread across the boy's lips as he hid the last cookie.
- a smile spread across her face
- a grin spread over his face
- a slow smile spread
- break out
for a smile that appears suddenly rather than slowly
- creep across
very close; emphasises slowness even more
- fade
for an expression slowly disappearing from a face
Grammar Patterns
a smile/grin + spread + across/over + someone's face
Usage Note
Almost always intransitive and almost always with subject 'smile', 'grin', or a similar facial expression, plus 'across' or 'over' someone's face. Found mostly in narrative writing rather than everyday speech.
Common Mistakes
spread out
phrasal verbif a group of people spread out, they move so that there is more space between them; you can also tell people or things to do this.
The search team spread out across the field to look for the missing keys.
Christopher told the children to spread out so everyone had room to dance.
spread yourself out
phrasal verbto take up more space than you need, by stretching your body or putting your things across a large area.
Mauricio spread himself out on the empty sofa and quickly fell asleep.
Please don't spread yourself out — the train is full and people need to sit down.
spread like wildfire
idiomif news, a rumour, or a trend spreads like wildfire, huge numbers of people hear about it or start doing it within a very short time.
The clip of Greta singing at the wedding spread like wildfire on social media.
Word that the famous chef had opened a tiny stall spread like wildfire through the neighbourhood.
spread your net
idiomto look in many different places, or consider many different options, when you are searching for someone or something.
The hiring team decided to spread its net wider and post the job in three more countries.
When Minh couldn't find a flat near campus, she spread her net to the whole north side of town.
spread your wings
idiomto start trying new things, going to new places, or living more independently than you did before.
After ten years at the same company, Jack felt ready to spread his wings and start his own bakery.
Moving to Berlin gave Marta a chance to spread her wings and learn about a new culture.
spread the word
idiomto tell as many people as you can about something, especially news or information you want others to know.
Ilan is asking neighbours to spread the word about the lost cat in the park.
Local farmers are spreading the word that the weekend market will move to a new location.
to take on so many tasks or projects at the same time that you cannot give enough time or energy to any of them.
Between three part-time jobs and night classes, Tanvi was spreading herself too thin and her grades dropped.
Don't try to lead every committee at school, or you'll spread yourself too thin.
spread — noun
1. the way in which something — for example a disease, a forest fire, or a new idea
the way in which something — for example a disease, a forest fire, or a new idea — keeps reaching new places or affecting more people over time.
Doctors are working hard to slow the spread of the flu in Mayumi's school.
the spread of + disease noun
Strong winds helped the spread of the fire across the dry hills near Lisbon.
the spread of + physical phenomenon
The new app has had a rapid spread among teenagers in Brazil.
rapid / fast / quick + spread
Yael studies how poverty in rural areas leads to the spread of certain illnesses.
lead to + the spread of
Better hand-washing can stop the spread of many common colds.
stop / prevent + the spread of
- the spread of disease
- the spread of fire
- rapid spread
- stop / prevent the spread
- slow the spread
- expansion
more neutral; often used about businesses, territory, or ideas rather than disease.
- growth
wider in meaning; can describe size or amount, not only how widely something travels.
- transmission
more technical; used in medical or scientific contexts about diseases or signals.
- containment
the active opposite — keeping something inside a limited area.
- decline
when something becomes smaller in number or reach over time.
Grammar Patterns
the spread of [noun]
Usage Note
Almost always preceded by 'the' and followed by 'of + noun'. The object after 'of' is typically something undesirable that grows in reach (disease, fire, fear, weeds), so the noun often carries a negative tone.
Common Mistakes
2. the process by which people pass on information, ideas, beliefs, or rumours to o
the process by which people pass on information, ideas, beliefs, or rumours to one another by speaking, writing, broadcasting, or sharing online — so that what started with a few minds ends up known to many.
Social media has changed the spread of news about elections in many countries.
the spread of news / information
Tanvi's research looks at the spread of false health advice on messaging apps.
the spread of false / misleading information
Printing presses helped the spread of new ideas across Europe in the 1500s.
help / aid + the spread of ideas
Teachers in Defne's village were proud of the spread of literacy among local women.
the spread of literacy / education
- the spread of information
- the spread of ideas
- the spread of rumours
- rapid spread of news
- dissemination
formal; suggests deliberate, organised sharing of information.
- circulation
emphasises information moving among a group, often in newspapers or social circles.
- diffusion
academic; used in sociology and history about how ideas travel between cultures.
- suppression
actively stopping ideas or information from reaching others.
Grammar Patterns
the spread of [information / knowledge / news]
Usage Note
Distinguish from noun sense 1 by the mechanism: this sense requires human communicative action (talking, writing, posting, teaching) — people are the channel. Noun sense 1 covers physical or biological propagation that does not depend on people consciously passing things on (disease, fire, weeds). Objects after 'of' here are mental or cultural: news, ideas, beliefs, rumours, literacy, religion. Grammar is the same — 'the spread of + noun'.
Common Mistakes
3. the size of the area, range, or set of things that something extends across — fo
the size of the area, range, or set of things that something extends across — for example the wingspan of a bird, or the variety of subjects in a course.
The eagle Felipe photographed in Patagonia had a wing spread of nearly two metres.
wing spread = wingspan measurement
Our music festival offers a wide spread of styles, from jazz to traditional Korean drumming.
a wide spread of + variety noun
Reuben was impressed by the spread of topics covered in the history textbook.
spread of topics / subjects
There is a huge age spread among the volunteers, from teenagers to grandparents.
age / income spread = range
- wide spread
- broad spread
- wing spread
- age spread
- spread of topics
Grammar Patterns
a spread of [noun]
[possessive] spread
Usage Note
Often pairs with adjectives showing range: 'wide / broad / huge / narrow spread'. With body parts of animals (wings, antlers), refers to the measured distance from tip to tip. Distinguish from sense 1: this sense describes a static measurement, not a process of growing.
Common Mistakes
4. a long article or printed advertisement that fills at least one whole page in a
a long article or printed advertisement that fills at least one whole page in a magazine or newspaper, usually with large eye-catching photos.
The fashion magazine ran a six-page spread on Isabela's new clothing line.
a [number]-page spread on + topic
Roya's wedding photos appeared as a beautiful double-page spread in the Sunday paper.
double-page / two-page spread
The car company paid for a full-page spread in three national newspapers.
full-page spread = advertisement
I still have the centre spread from that 1995 football magazine on my bedroom wall.
centre spread = middle two facing pages
- double-page spread
- two-page spread
- centre spread
- full-page spread
- fashion spread
Grammar Patterns
a [adjective] spread
a spread on [topic]
Usage Note
Almost always premodified by a description of how many pages: 'two-page', 'double-page', 'four-page', 'full-page', 'centre'. Common in journalism, advertising, and fashion contexts. Often followed by 'on / about + topic'.
Common Mistakes
5. a soft food, like butter, jam, or cheese paste, that you put on top of bread, to
a soft food, like butter, jam, or cheese paste, that you put on top of bread, toast, or biscuits with a knife.
Grandma Zola makes a spicy tomato spread for the bread at every family lunch.
spicy / sweet / savoury + spread
Vikram bought a low-fat cheese spread instead of butter for his morning toast.
cheese / chocolate / fish + spread
This chickpea spread tastes great on warm pita bread with a few olives.
spread + on / with + bread item
The supermarket near Élise's flat sells over twenty kinds of spread in jars.
kinds / jars of spread (countable)
- cheese spread
- chocolate spread
- low-fat spread
- sandwich spread
- jar of spread
Grammar Patterns
[adjective] spread
spread for [bread / crackers]
Usage Note
Often premodified by the main ingredient: 'cheese spread', 'chocolate spread', 'fish spread'. Sold in jars or tubs. Use the countable form when comparing types ('a healthy spread'); use the uncountable form when talking about how much you use ('not enough spread on the toast').
Common Mistakes
6. a large piece of land used as a farm or ranch, especially one in the western Uni
a large piece of land used as a farm or ranch, especially one in the western United States where animals like cattle or horses are raised.
The Yoder family runs a thousand-acre cattle spread in eastern Montana.
[size]-acre + spread
Christopher always dreamed of owning a small spread with horses and a few apple trees.
small / large / fine + spread
After her husband died, Abigail sold the family spread and moved into town.
the family spread = the home ranch
From the hilltop, you could see Jack's whole spread, with cattle grazing near the river.
[possessive] + spread
- cattle spread
- family spread
- big / fine spread
- run a spread
Grammar Patterns
a [adjective] spread
[possessive] spread
Usage Note
Mainly American English and informal — characteristic of cowboy and Western contexts. In British English, prefer 'farm' or 'estate'. Often described by size in acres or by the animals raised on it.
Common Mistakes
7. a generous selection of food set out together on a table, usually for guests at
a generous selection of food set out together on a table, usually for guests at a celebration like a birthday, wedding, or holiday gathering.
Hugo's grandmother laid on a huge spread for his wedding, with dumplings, roast duck, and three kinds of cake.
lay on + a spread (informal, for a celebration)
When Imran got home from the army, his family had prepared a spread of curries, rice, and fresh mango.
a spread of + [list of dishes]
Guests at the office party were amazed by the spread on the long oak table in the boardroom.
the spread (refers to the meal as a whole)
Sade put on quite a spread for Christmas dinner, with two roast chickens and homemade pies for dessert.
put on + quite a spread (informal praise)
The hotel staff set up a wedding spread that filled six tables in the garden pavilion.
a + [type of event] + spread
- lay on a spread
- put on a spread
- quite a spread
- a wedding spread
- a Christmas spread
Grammar Patterns
a + spread
lay on a spread
Usage Note
Informal in tone; often paired with 'lay on', 'put on', or 'quite a'. Distinguish from sense 5 (a soft food like jam or pâté): this sense always refers to a whole table of dishes, not a single product in a jar.
Common Mistakes
8. the gap between two numbers that are being compared — often two prices, two inte
the gap between two numbers that are being compared — often two prices, two interest rates, or the highest and lowest figures in a set.
The spread between the buying and selling price of the bond widened to nearly two percent last month.
the spread between X and Y (typical finance pattern)
Christopher told his clients the bank was charging a much wider spread than its competitors on small loans.
a wider / narrower spread
Across the twelve regions surveyed, there was a spread of nearly thirty dollars in average rent.
a spread of + [amount]
Eli watched the spread between the two stocks shrink from four dollars to just sixty cents.
the spread + verb of change (widen / shrink)
- narrow spread
- wide spread
- the spread between
- bid-ask spread
- a spread of [amount]
- gap
more general; works for any kind of difference, not just numerical
- differential
formal, often used for wages or interest rates specifically
- margin
narrower; usually the profit gap between cost and selling price
Grammar Patterns
the spread between X and Y
a spread of [number]
Usage Note
Most common in finance and economics writing. Subject is usually a measurable quantity (prices, rates, salaries). Often used with verbs of change: 'widen', 'narrow', 'shrink'. Distinguish from sense 3 (range or extent of coverage): this sense is specifically a numerical difference between two reference points, not the area something covers.
Common Mistakes
Word family
- spreadernounC2
- widespreadadjectiveB2
- bedspreadnounC1
- outspreadadjectiveC2
Synonym discussion
Sense: verb/2
All five verbs describe how something reaches more people or places, but each carries a different flavour. 'Spread' is the everyday neutral choice and works for almost anything that grows wider — diseases, news, fear, fashions. 'Circulate' suggests passing from person to person within a group, and is often used for rumours, money, or documents going around an office. 'Disseminate' is more formal and usually deliberate; governments and researchers disseminate findings or guidelines. 'Propagate' is technical or literary, used for plants, scientific theories, or signals that reproduce themselves. 'Transmit' focuses on the channel of transfer and fits diseases, signals, and data, often with a clear sender and receiver. So you might say a story spreads quickly online, while a memo circulates in the office, a ministry disseminates safety advice, a virus is transmitted by mosquitoes, and a belief propagates through generations.
Common collocations
Nouns
- spread of disease
- spread of news
- spread of fire
- spread of information
- spread of rumours
- spread of democracy
- spread butter
- spread jam
- spread a map
- spread a blanket
- spread the cost
- spread the risk
Phrases
- spread like wildfire
- spread the word
- spread the load
- spread far and wide
- spread a rumour
- spread joy
- spread fear
Prepositions
- spread across
- spread through
- spread over
- spread among
- spread to
- spread from
- spread between
- spread on
Etymology
Comes from Old English 'sprædan' (to stretch out, extend), related to similar Germanic verbs in Dutch ('spreiden') and German ('spreiten'), all meaning to lay something flat over a surface. The everyday meaning of 'opening something out' is the original one; the senses about diseases, news, and ideas reaching more people developed later, by treating an invisible thing as if it could be physically laid out across an area. The noun appeared in the same period from the verb.