Meanings
- derogatoryinformalneologismuncountableA tendency toward making and buying larger and wider automobiles.
Even the term “carspreading” suggests an element of inequality – of taking up an unfair amount of space. In a decarbonising world where we talk about just transition that kind of space matters.
[2025 October 25, Alan Simpson, “Yes, we do need a war on cars. And that includes carspreading EVs”, in The Herald, Glasgow, page 62 more examples
If a car generates more potholes, takes up more space and poses more risk to others, then why even have it? Carspreading is a crisis we face in Britain. Our road vehicles are increasing in size as the more and more of us buy more SUVs of increasing dimensions and weight.
2025 April 18, Emma Kay, “Status symbols get bigger, and so do issues they cause”, in Yorkshire Evening Post, Leeds, page 21SIR SADIQ KHAN is under pressure to tackle "carspreading" by hitting bigger vehicles in London with even higher taxes and parking fees. In a motion passed by the London Assembly, the mayor has been urged to write to the Government to demand higher vehicle excise duty for heavier vehicles and tighter curbs on car sizes.
2025 June 7, “Hit larger cars with higher taxes, Khan told”, in The Daily Telegraph, page 15
Origin
Cite this entry
carspreading. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/carspreading
“carspreading.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/carspreading. Accessed November 5, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “carspreading,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/carspreading.
Source: carspreading on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.