1
as in to develop
to express more fully and in greater detail
an article on the First Ladies that the author later expanded into a book
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to increase
to make greater in size, amount, or number
we had to expand the list of wedding guests several times in order to accommodate all the relatives Mother wouldn't dream of excluding
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in to extend
to arrange the parts of (something) over a wider area
a spare leaf for those times when we have to expand the dining table to accommodate extra guests
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in to accelerate
to become greater in extent, volume, amount, or number
water expands when it becomes frozen
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of expand
Immigrant advocates have pushed to shore up those protections with a federal bill that would expand visa eligibility for workers cooperating with regulators to expose labor violations, so far without success.
—
Emily Alpert Reyes, Los Angeles Times, 8 Feb. 2025
Look, $100 million on initiatives like expanding atheism in Nepal.
—Linda Qiu, New York Times, 8 Feb. 2025
Echevarria previously was the CEO of the University of Miami, a position created in 2022, which expanded Echevarria’s job as CEO of UHealth, UM’s medical arm, to oversee the university.
—Clara-Sophia Daly, Miami Herald, 7 Feb. 2025
The Irish capital joins Madrid and Berlin as first-time hosts next season as the league expands its global footprint.
—Dave Skretta, Baltimore Sun, 7 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for expand
Emily Alpert Reyes, Los Angeles Times, 8 Feb. 2025
Look, $100 million on initiatives like expanding atheism in Nepal.
—Linda Qiu, New York Times, 8 Feb. 2025
Echevarria previously was the CEO of the University of Miami, a position created in 2022, which expanded Echevarria’s job as CEO of UHealth, UM’s medical arm, to oversee the university.
—Clara-Sophia Daly, Miami Herald, 7 Feb. 2025
The Irish capital joins Madrid and Berlin as first-time hosts next season as the league expands its global footprint.
—Dave Skretta, Baltimore Sun, 7 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for expand
Recent Examples of Synonyms for expand
Verb
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That will require Penix to develop into a top-10 quarterback and a radical upgrade on defense.—
Josh Kendall,
The Athletic,
24 Feb. 2025
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Many older people with influenza and other viruses can develop pneumonia if they aren’t treated properly with rest and antiviral medications.—
Alice Park,
TIME,
24 Feb. 2025
Verb
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Though Congress began its new session just a little over a month ago, its approval rating has increased among Americans, according to new data from Gallup.—
Sudiksha Kochi,
USA TODAY,
20 Feb. 2025
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Easy solution: increase the toll to keep more cars out of Midtown.—
New York Daily News Editorial Board,
New York Daily News,
20 Feb. 2025
Verb
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The Iranian regime spent decades building the Axis of Resistance, a coalition of anti-Western militias that extended Tehran’s influence deep into the Arab world.—
Arash Azizi,
The Atlantic,
25 Feb. 2025
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There’s no shortage of electrified cargo bikes on the market these days, but one trend that is definitely on the rise is the addition of a second (or even third) battery to extend the range of these quiet, clean urban haulers.—
William Roberson,
Forbes,
25 Feb. 2025
Verb
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If an earlier breakthrough occurs: Should a major quantum attack capability emerge earlier than expected, the bitcoin community can accelerate the above timeline.—
Dave Birnbaum,
Forbes,
26 Feb. 2025
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On the surface, this shift has the potential to accelerate China’s ascent as a global power, potentially granting the world’s second-largest economy space to win more allies, boost its global leadership and shift global norms and rules – such as those on human rights or security – in its favor.—
Simone McCarthy,
CNN,
26 Feb. 2025
Verb
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But some of the WHO’s work focuses on supplementing national health programs and filling gaps that benefit individual nations — specifically those with the least resources — rather than the world as a whole.—
Jess Craig,
Vox,
17 Feb. 2025
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The carts, in time, were supplemented with proper restaurants and, inevitably, chains both small and large.—
Helen Rosner,
The New Yorker,
16 Feb. 2025
Verb
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Retail: In China, robots are augmenting hotels and retail, disrupting customer and in-store digital experiences and enabling shopping on the go, increasing footfall and customer satisfaction.—
Sudhanshu Duggal,
Forbes,
19 Feb. 2025
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The Navy, specifically, wants a hybrid fleet, with sailors and Marines augmented by smart machinery strapped with guns, jammers and sensors.—
Colin Demarest,
Axios,
18 Feb. 2025
Verb
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The Blue Devils raced out to a 15-2 lead in opening six minutes and then burst out of the break with a 24-6 run after the ‘Canes closed the first half with a 7-1 spurt in the final minute to cut the deficit to 47-32.—
Steve Gorten,
Miami Herald,
26 Feb. 2025
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In 2024, the New York City Economic Development Corporation (NYCEDC) announced a record-breaking number of small businesses, with 1 in 3 of the now 183,000 small businesses having opened their doors in the last two years.—
Ivo Ivanov,
Forbes,
26 Feb. 2025
Verb
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With inflation high and interest rates rising, the outlook is bleak for many Americans.—
Francisco Velasquez,
Quartz,
28 Feb. 2025
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The personal savings rate also spiked higher, rising to 4.6%.—
Jeff Cox,
CNBC,
28 Feb. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Expand.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/expand. Accessed 3 Mar. 2025.
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