We must stop urban sprawl and fight against physical segregation while still guaranteeing the right to housing.
Source: tatoeba (430074)
Sprawl
/spɹɔl/
Synonyms for "sprawl" (139 found)
Ranked by relevance and common usage.
Closest matches (28)
Strong matches (42)
Related words (69)
outreachoutspreadoutstretchovergrowoverrunpitchplungepratfallpronenessprostrationrambleramifyreach outreclinationreclinerecliningrecumbencyreposerestscramble
Show 39 more words
settle to restslouchslumpsnug downspillsplayspraddlespranglespreadspread eaglespread like wildfirespread outspread-eaglestaggerstand on tiptoesstraddlestragglestretchstretch outstumblesupinenesstake a falltake a floptake a headertake a pratfalltake a spilltake it easytake life easytilttoppletopple downtopple overtottertriptumbleturn turtleunfoldwanderwiden
Noun(9 words)
Verb(1 words)
Choosing the right synonym
- Closest matches in this entry: accubation, accumbency, be lengthy, be prolonged, bed.
- Sentence evidence is available for sprawl, so synonym choice can be checked against real usage rather than a flat word list.
- Ranking signals come from moby, opengloss, wordnet, derived_reverse, and related lexical sources.
Synonym selection checklist
- Match the part of speech before comparing meanings.
- Check whether the synonym changes intensity, formality, or emotional tone.
- Read the replacement inside the full sentence, not just beside "sprawl".
- Prefer the clearest word over the most unusual word when writing for speed or comprehension.
When not to replace "sprawl"
Keep "sprawl" when the sentence already sounds natural, when a synonym would add unintended emphasis, or when readers need the most familiar wording. A synonym should clarify or sharpen the message, not simply make the sentence look more varied.
If two options seem close, choose the one that best matches the audience and purpose of the sentence.
Replacement workflow
1. Preserve meaning
Choose a synonym only if it keeps the core idea of "sprawl" intact in the sentence you are editing.
2. Tune tone
Check whether the replacement sounds more formal, casual, emotional, technical, or forceful than the original word.
3. Re-read context
Read the full sentence after the swap. Keep the synonym only when the sentence becomes clearer or more precise.
Review note: Synonym lists are ranked with lexical data and reviewed for practical writing value. Use the comparison notes, sentence evidence, and source labels together; a high-ranking synonym can still be wrong when the audience, register, or grammar changes.
Final fit check
After choosing a replacement for "sprawl", read the sentence once for meaning and once for rhythm. The best synonym should feel natural in the full sentence, not only accurate in a word list.
If the synonym makes the sentence slower, vaguer, or more dramatic than intended, keep "sprawl" or choose a simpler alternative from the closest-match group.
Related word relations
OpenGloss and ConceptNet supply richer edges like generalizations, collocations, and derivations.
More general
18 entriesShowing 16 of 18 words.
More specific
6 entriesbody sprawlchair sprawlcity sprawllounging positionlying posturesuburban sprawl
Collocations
9 entriescity sprawlcurb sprawlsprawl acrosssprawl controlsprawl outsprawl policysprawling suburbssuburban sprawlurban sprawl
Inflections
3 entriesDerivations
3 entriesTranslations
23 translations across 12 languages.
Bulgarian
1 entries- разпръсквам се verb (to spread out in disorderly fashion)
Czech
3 entries- prostírat se verb (to spread out in disorderly fashion)
- roztahovat se verb (to spread out in disorderly fashion)
- táhnout se verb (to spread out in disorderly fashion)
Dutch
2 entries- verspreiden verb (to spread out in disorderly fashion)
- zich uitstrekken verb (to spread out in disorderly fashion)
Finnish
2 entries- levitä verb (to spread out in disorderly fashion)
- rehottaa verb (to spread out in disorderly fashion)
French
1 entries- s'étaler, s'étendre verb (to spread out in disorderly fashion)
Galician
1 entries- escarranchar verb (to spread out in disorderly fashion)
German
1 entries- sich ausbreiten verb (to spread out in disorderly fashion)
Māori
1 entries- pūkoni verb (to spread out in disorderly fashion)
Portuguese
1 entries- espalhar verb (to spread out in disorderly fashion)
Russian
4 entries- простере́ться verb (to spread out in disorderly fashion)
- простира́ться verb (to spread out in disorderly fashion)
- раски́дываться verb (to spread out in disorderly fashion)
- раски́нуться verb (to spread out in disorderly fashion)
Spanish
1 entries- desparramarse verb (to spread out in disorderly fashion)
Ukrainian
3 entries- розкидатися verb (to spread out in disorderly fashion)
- розпростертися verb (to spread out in disorderly fashion)
- розтягтися verb (to spread out in disorderly fashion)
Sample sentences
20 total sentences available.
Urban sprawl is said to be a major contributor to global warming.
Source: tatoeba (1438099)
Urban sprawl and chaos create many planning problems.
Source: tatoeba (4311234)
Urban sprawl is environmentally damaging.
Source: tatoeba (5924180)
Showing 4 of 20 available sentences.
Common questions
What are the closest synonyms for "sprawl"?
Closest matches include accubation, accumbency, be lengthy, be prolonged, bed.
How should I check whether a synonym fits "sprawl"?
Compare the replacement against real sentence context. This entry includes sample sentences so you can check tone, grammar, and meaning before swapping words.