Spred vs. Spread — Which is Correct Spelling?
Edited by Urooj Arif — By Maham Liaqat — Updated on April 16, 2024
Spred is the incorrect spelling of spread. Spread refers to the action of extending or distributing something over a wider area.
Table of Contents
Which is correct: Spred or Spread
How to spell Spread?
Spred
Incorrect Spelling
Spread
Correct Spelling
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Key Differences
Remember that "spread" and "bread" both involve widening—bread rises, spread widens.
"Spread" contains the same "ea" vowel combination as "bread," which also expands.
Link "spread" with "tread," where both include the "ead" ending and imply covering an area.
How Do You Spell Spread Correctly?
Incorrect: The news spred faster than expected.
Correct: The news spread faster than expected.
Incorrect: Can you spred these files on the table?
Correct: Can you spread these files on the table?
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Incorrect: He spred the picnic blanket under the tree.
Correct: He spread the picnic blanket under the tree.
Incorrect: She spred the butter too thickly on the toast.
Correct: She spread the butter too thickly on the toast.
Incorrect: The disease quickly spred across the region.
Correct: The disease quickly spread across the region.
Spread Definitions
To become distributed or widely dispersed.
The rumor spread through the office quickly.
To apply a layer of substance over a surface.
He spread butter on his morning toast.
To open out something to its fullest extent.
The eagle spread its wings wide and soared high.
Open out (something) so as to extend its surface area, width, or length
She helped Colin to spread out the map
I spread a towel on the sand and sat down
Extend over a large or increasing area
Rain over north-west Scotland will spread south-east during the day
Apply (a substance) to an object or surface in an even layer
He sighed, spreading jam on a croissant
Lay (a table) for a meal.
The fact or process of spreading over an area
The spread of the urban population into rural areas
Warmer temperatures could help reduce the spread of the disease
The extent, width, or area covered by something
The male's antlers can attain a spread of six feet
The range or variety of something
A wide spread of ages
A soft paste that can be applied in a layer to bread or other food
Cheese spread
Low-fat spreads
An article or advertisement covering several columns or pages of a newspaper or magazine, especially one on two facing pages
A double-page spread
A large and impressively elaborate meal
His mother laid on a huge spread
A bedspread
A patchwork spread
To open to a fuller extent or width; stretch
Spread out the tablecloth.
A bird spreading its wings.
To make wider the gap between; move farther apart
Spread her fingers.
To distribute over a surface in a layer
Spread varnish on the steps.
To cover with a layer
Spread a cracker with butter.
To distribute widely
The tornado spread destruction.
To make a wide or extensive arrangement of
We spread the bicycle parts out on the floor.
To exhibit or display the full extent of
The scene that was spread before us.
To cause to become widely seen or known; scatter or disseminate
Spread the news.
Spread the beam of the flashlight.
To prepare (a table) for eating; set.
To arrange (food or a meal) on a table.
To flatten (a rivet end, for example) by pounding.
To be extended or enlarged
The farm fields spread to the horizon.
To move over an area, be distributed, or be widely dispersed
The troops spread out across the field. The volcano's ash spread over the continent.
To become known or prevalent over a wide area
The word spread fast.
To be exhibited, displayed, or visible in broad or full extent
The vista spread seemingly to infinity.
To become or admit of being distributed in a layer
This paint spreads really well.
To become separated; be forced farther apart
The land masses spread until there was an ocean between them.
The act or process of spreading
The spread of disease.
Dissemination, as of news; diffusion.
An open area of land; an expanse.
A ranch, farm, or estate.
The extent or limit to which something is or can be spread
The tree's canopy has a spread of 50 feet.
A cloth covering for a bed, table, or other piece of furniture.
(Informal) An abundant meal laid out on a table.
A food to be spread on bread or crackers.
Two facing pages of a magazine, newspaper, or book, considered as a unit.
An article or advertisement running across two or more columns of a newspaper or magazine.
A difference, as between two figures or totals
What's the spread between tallest and shortest?.
A position taken in two or more options or futures contracts in order to profit from a change in their relative prices.
The difference between the price asked and bid for a particular security.
The difference in yields between two fixed-income securities, as between short-term and long-term bonds.
A number of points offered to equalize the chances of winning in a wager on a competition, usually between sports teams. Also called point spread.
Wingspread.
(transitive) To stretch out, open out (a material etc.) so that it more fully covers a given area of space.
He spread his newspaper on the table.
(transitive) To extend (individual rays, limbs etc.); to stretch out in varying or opposing directions.
I spread my arms wide and welcomed him home.
(transitive) To disperse, to scatter or distribute over a given area.
I spread the rice grains evenly over the floor.
(intransitive) To proliferate; to become more widely present, to be disseminated.
(transitive) To disseminate; to cause to proliferate, to make (something) widely known or present.
The missionaries quickly spread their new message across the country.
(intransitive) To take up a larger area or space; to expand, be extended.
I dropped my glass; the water spread quickly over the tiled floor.
(transitive) To smear, to distribute in a thin layer.
She liked to spread butter on her toast while it was still hot.
(transitive) To cover (something) with a thin layer of some substance, as of butter.
He always spreads his toast with peanut butter and strawberry jam.
To prepare; to set and furnish with provisions.
To spread a table
To open one’s legs, especially for sexual favours.
The act of spreading.
Something that has been spread.
(cartomancy) A layout, pattern or design of cards arranged for a reading.
An expanse of land.
A large tract of land used to raise livestock; a cattle ranch.
A piece of material used as a cover (such as a bedspread).
A large meal, especially one laid out on a table.
(bread, etc.) Any form of food designed to be spread, such as butters or jams.
(military) A set of multiple torpedoes launched on side-by-side, slowly-diverging paths toward one or more enemy ships.
Improvised by inmates from various ingredients to relieve the tedium of prison food.
An item in a newspaper or magazine that occupies more than one column or page.
Two facing pages in a book, newspaper etc.
A numerical difference.
The difference between the wholesale and retail prices.
The difference between the price of a futures month and the price of another month of the same commodity.
The purchase of a futures contract of one delivery month against the sale of another futures delivery month of the same commodity.
The purchase of one delivery month of one commodity against the sale of that same delivery month of a different commodity.
(trading) An arbitrage transaction of the same commodity in two markets, executed to take advantage of a profit from price discrepancies.
(trading) The difference between bidding and asking price.
(finance) The difference between the prices of two similar items.
(geometry) An unlimited expanse of discontinuous points.
The surface in proportion to the depth of a cut gemstone.
Excessive width of the trails of ink written on overly absorbent paper.
To extend in length and breadth, or in breadth only; to stretch or expand to a broad or broader surface or extent; to open; to unfurl; as, to spread a carpet; to spread a tent or a sail.
He bought a parcel of a field where he had spread his tent.
Here the RhoneHath spread himself a couch.
To extend so as to cover something; to extend to a great or greater extent in every direction; to cause to fill or cover a wide or wider space.
Rose, as in a dance, the stately trees, and spreadTheir branches hung with copious fruit.
To divulge; to publish, as news or fame; to cause to be more extensively known; to disseminate; to make known fully; as, to spread a report; - often accompanied by abroad.
They, when they were departed, spread abroad his fame in all that country.
To propagate; to cause to affect great numbers; as, to spread a disease.
To diffuse, as emanations or effluvia; to emit; as, odoriferous plants spread their fragrance.
To strew; to scatter over a surface; as, to spread manure; to spread lime on the ground.
To prepare; to set and furnish with provisions; as, to spread a table.
Boiled the flesh, and spread the board.
To extend in length and breadth in all directions, or in breadth only; to be extended or stretched; to expand.
Plants, if they spread much, are seldom tall.
Governor Winthrop, and his associates at Charlestown, had for a church a large, spreading tree.
To be extended by drawing or beating; as, some metals spread with difficulty.
To be made known more extensively, as news.
To be propagated from one to another; as, the disease spread into all parts of the city.
Extent; compass.
I have got a fine spread of improvable land.
Expansion of parts.
No flower hath spread like that of the woodbine.
A cloth used as a cover for a table or a bed.
A table, as spread or furnished with a meal; hence, an entertainment of food; a feast.
A privilege which one person buys of another, of demanding certain shares of stock at a certain price, or of delivering the same shares of stock at another price, within a time agreed upon.
An unlimited expanse of discontinuous points.
An arbitrage transaction operated by buying and selling simultaneously in two separate markets, as Chicago and New York, when there is an abnormal difference in price between the two markets. It is called a back spreadwhen the difference in price is less than the normal one.
Surface in proportion to the depth of a cut stone.
Process or result of distributing or extending over a wide expanse of space
A conspicuous disparity or difference as between two figures;
Gap between income and outgo
The spread between lending and borrowing costs
Farm consisting of a large tract of land along with facilities needed to raise livestock (especially cattle)
A haphazard distribution in all directions
A tasty mixture to be spread on bread or crackers
A meal that is well prepared and greatly enjoyed;
A banquet for the graduating seniors
The Thanksgiving feast
They put out quite a spread
Two facing pages of a book or other publication
The expansion of a person's girth (especially at middle age);
She exercised to avoid that middle-aged spread
Decorative cover for a bed
Act of extending over a wider scope or expanse of space or time
Distribute or disperse widely;
The invaders spread their language all over the country
Become distributed or widespread;
The infection spread
Optimism spread among the population
Spread across or over;
A big oil spot spread across the water
Spread out or open from a closed or folded state;
Open the map
Spread your arms
Cause to become widely known;
Spread information
Circulate a rumor
Broadcast the news
Become widely known and passed on;
The rumor spread
The story went around in the office
Strew or distribute over an area;
He spread fertilizer over the lawn
Scatter cards across the table
Move outward;
The soldiers fanned out
Cover by spreading something over;
Spread the bread with cheese
Distribute over a surface in a layer;
Spread cheese on a piece of bread
Distributed or spread over a considerable extent;
Has ties with many widely dispersed friends
Eleven million Jews are spread throughout Europe
Prepared or arranged for a meal; especially having food set out;
A table spread with food
Fully extended in width;
Outspread wings
With arms spread wide
To extend or distribute over a larger area or among a number of people.
She spread the map out on the floor for everyone to see.
The range or extent over which something is dispersed or distributed.
The spread of this tablecloth is perfect for our large dining table.
Spread Meaning in a Sentence
They spread gravel over the driveway to improve traction.
The volunteers helped to spread awareness about the charity event.
She used a knife to spread jam on the scone.
Please spread the blankets evenly on the bed.
Wildflowers spread across the meadow each spring.
The doctor discussed how diseases spread and how to prevent them.
He spread the cards out on the table to start the game.
The children spread their toys all over the living room floor.
The setting sun spread a golden glow across the sky.
I spread a layer of frosting over the cake.
Information about the new policy spread rapidly among employees.
News of the celebrity's visit spread like wildfire.
She spread her research notes across the desk to organize her thoughts.
Frost spread across the windows during the cold night.
They spread out the project tasks among the team members.
The new restaurant's fame spread quickly, attracting visitors from afar.
She spread out her workout routine over the week.
Controversy spread around the community regarding the new development plans.
Butterflies spread their wings to absorb sunlight.
The chef spread a thin layer of olive oil over the pizza dough.
They spread mulch in the garden to help retain moisture.
The blanket was spread on the grass for a picnic.
Joy spread among the crowd as the winner was announced.
The spread of invasive species can harm local ecosystems.
He spread his ideas through blogs and social media.
Spread Idioms & Phrases
Spread your wings
To expand your skills or try new things.
After college, he moved abroad to spread his wings.
Spread the wealth
To distribute resources or opportunities fairly among a group.
The company decided to spread the wealth by giving bonuses to all employees.
Spread out
To distribute or arrange things over a wide area.
Let's spread out the papers to see them better.
Spread your bets
To diversify one’s investments or risks.
He spread his bets by investing in stocks, bonds, and real estate.
Spread oneself too thin
To commit to too many tasks at once, making it hard to give sufficient attention to any.
She was spreading herself too thin by joining every club at school.
Spread the love
To show kindness or affection widely.
During the holiday, they made it a point to spread the love by volunteering.
Spread the word
To share information with many people.
Please spread the word about the upcoming community meeting.
Spread like wildfire
Something, typically information, spreading very quickly.
The news of his retirement spread like wildfire.
Spread a net
To set up a wide-ranging search or investigation.
The police spread a net to catch the suspects.
Spread knowledge
To teach or inform others about useful information.
He's dedicated to spreading knowledge about environmental conservation.
Spread thin
Resources or people stretched to their limit.
With so many projects at once, our staff is spread thin.
Spread rumors
To circulate unverified information.
It's harmful to spread rumors without knowing the facts.
Spread it on thick
To exaggerate or overstate one's praise or flattery.
He always spreads it on thick when he wants a favor.
Spread one's reach
To extend influence or activities.
The company is spreading its reach into Asian markets.
Spread the risk
To distribute risk among multiple avenues to mitigate potential loss.
They spread the risk by launching several smaller products instead of one major one.
Spread the field
To use a wide area or range of skills or assets.
The team spread the field to confuse their opponents.
Spread the cost
To distribute the cost of something over time or among different people.
They spread the cost of the new building over ten years.
Spread cheer
To make people happy or joyful.
The holiday season is a great time to spread cheer.
Spread fear
To cause fear among many people.
The rumors were spreading fear throughout the community.
Common Curiosities
How many syllables are in spread?
"Spread" has one syllable.
How do we divide spread into syllables?
"Spread" is a single-syllable word, so it is not divided.
Why is it called spread?
"Spread" is derived from the Middle English word "spreden," which means to extend or stretch out, reflecting its usage in distributing or extending something over an area.
How is spread used in a sentence?
"Spread" is commonly used as a verb to indicate the action of extending or distributing something over a wider area.
What is a stressed syllable in spread?
The entire word "spread" is stressed, as it is only one syllable.
What is the pronunciation of spread?
"Spread" is pronounced as /sprɛd/.
What is the first form of spread?
The first form of "spread" is "spread."
What part of speech is spread?
"Spread" is both a verb and a noun, depending on its usage in a sentence.
What is the singular form of spread?
The singular form of "spread" is "spread."
What is the root word of spread?
The root word of "spread" is the Old English word "sprǣdan."
Is spread an abstract noun?
"Spread" can be an abstract noun when referring to a concept, such as the spread of ideas.
What is the verb form of spread?
"Spread" is the verb form itself.
What is the plural form of spread?
The plural form of "spread" is "spreads" when used as a noun.
Which vowel is used before spread?
Typically, "a" is used before "spread" when it functions as a noun (e.g., a spread of cheese).
What is another term for spread?
Another term for "spread" could be "extend" or "distribute."
Is spread a countable noun?
When used as a noun, "spread" can be countable or uncountable depending on the context.
Is spread a collective noun?
No, "spread" is not typically used as a collective noun.
What is the opposite of spread?
The opposite of "spread" could be "gather" or "collect."
Is the word spread Gerund?
"Spread" can function as a gerund when used as a noun, referring to the action of spreading.
Which article is used with spread?
The definite article "the" and the indefinite article "a" can be used with "spread," depending on whether the reference is specific or general (e.g., the spread of a virus, a spread of appetizers).
What is the second form of spread?
The second form of "spread" is "spread."
What is the third form of spread?
The third form of "spread" is "spread."
Is spread a vowel or consonant?
The word "spread" starts with a consonant.
Which determiner is used with spread?
Determiners like "the," "a," "this," or "that" can be used with "spread" depending on the context (e.g., the spread of disease, a wide spread).
Which preposition is used with spread?
Common prepositions used with "spread" include "over," "through," and "across" (e.g., spread over the surface, spread through the population).
Is spread a noun or adjective?
"Spread" can be used as both a noun and a verb, but not typically as an adjective.
Is spread an adverb?
No, "spread" is not an adverb.
Is spread a negative or positive word?
"Spread" is neutral; its connotation depends on the context in which it is used.
Is the spread term a metaphor?
"Spread" can be used metaphorically, especially in contexts like the spread of ideas.
Is the word spread imperative?
"Spread" can be used in the imperative mood as a command, such as in "Spread the sheets."
Is the word “spread” a Direct object or an Indirect object?
"Spread" can be a direct object (e.g., I love the spread on this bread).
Which conjunction is used with spread?
Conjunctions are not specifically linked to the word "spread"; any can be used depending on the sentence structure.
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Written by
Maham Liaqat
Edited by
Urooj ArifUrooj is a skilled content writer at Ask Difference, known for her exceptional ability to simplify complex topics into engaging and informative content. With a passion for research and a flair for clear, concise writing, she consistently delivers articles that resonate with our diverse audience.
