Meaning & use
splay
To spread out or open wide, especially limbs or fingers, in an ungainly or unplanned way.
See it in a sentence
He tripped and fell, arms splayed out to break his landing on the wet pavement.
The kitten splayed its paws against the glass, trying to climb the smooth window.
A note on using this word
Splay usually describes an awkward or exaggerated spreading, often of limbs, and is frequently used in its past participle form 'splayed.'
Words with a similar meaning
spreadsprawl
Choose a synonym to suit the sentence. Meanings can overlap without being identical.
Make it your own
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