Standard Lemma guide

manspreading

noun · verb · 2 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

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  • /ˈmænˌspɹɛdɪŋ/
  • Southern-England: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.

1

noun

Meaning 1

The practice of men splaying their legs open wide when sitting on public transport, thus occupying more than one seat.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: derogatory, informal, uncountable

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

verb

Meaning 2

present participle and gerund of manspread

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: form-of, gerund, participle, present

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

From man + spreading. Popularized in 2014, perhaps patterned after mansplaining. Equal to manspread + -ing.

From manspread + -ing.

Across languages

Translations

9 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Armenian: մենսփրեդինգ (menspʻreding) — practice of men splaying their legs open wide when sitting on public transport
  • Finnish: äijähaara — practice of men splaying their legs open wide when sitting on public transport
  • Japanese: マンスプレッディング — practice of men splaying their legs open wide when sitting on public transport
  • Japanese: 大股開き (ōmatabiraki) — practice of men splaying their legs open wide when sitting on public transport
  • Japanese: 大股座り (ōmata suwari) — practice of men splaying their legs open wide when sitting on public transport
  • Norwegian Nynorsk: breibeint sitting — practice of men splaying their legs open wide when sitting on public transport
  • Russian: мэнспрединг (mɛnspreding) — practice of men splaying their legs open wide when sitting on public transport
  • Spanish: despatarre masculino — practice of men splaying their legs open wide when sitting on public transport
  • Swedish: manspreada — practice of men splaying their legs open wide when sitting on public transport