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

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

2
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

Synonym Chooser

How does the verb expand differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of expand are amplify, dilate, distend, inflate, and swell. While all these words mean "to increase in size or volume," expand may apply regardless of the manner of increase (such as growth, unfolding, addition of parts).

a business that expands every year

When can amplify be used instead of expand?

The meanings of amplify and expand largely overlap; however, amplify implies the extension or enlargement of something inadequate.

amplify the statement with details

When might dilate be a better fit than expand?

Although the words dilate and expand have much in common, dilate applies especially to expansion of circumference.

dilated pupils

When is distend a more appropriate choice than expand?

The words distend and expand can be used in similar contexts, but distend implies outward extension caused by pressure from within.

a distended abdomen

When is it sensible to use inflate instead of expand?

In some situations, the words inflate and expand are roughly equivalent. However, inflate implies expanding by introduction of air or something insubstantial and suggests a vulnerability to sudden collapse.

an inflated ego

In what contexts can swell take the place of expand?

While the synonyms swell and expand are close in meaning, swell implies gradual expansion beyond a thing's original or normal limits.

the bureaucracy swelled to unmanageable proportions

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of expand With Neptune entering Aries on the 30th, your vision for the future is starting to expand. Meghan Rose, Glamour, 1 Oct. 2025 After becoming a hit in 2017, the show's creative team expanded the story beyond the Liane Moriarty novel for a second season in 2019. Benjamin Vanhoose, PEOPLE, 1 Oct. 2025 Related Stories Iberseries & Platino Industria continues to expand its global network through partnerships with major festivals and markets such as Blood Window, FICCI, Rio2C, BIF Market, and Seriencamp. Anna Marie De La Fuente, Variety, 1 Oct. 2025 Bromley also is credited with expanding payment transparency by spearheading Manatt’s music streaming royalty calculator, which compiles direct-source data to show artists exactly how much they are being paid by Spotify and Apple Music. Claudia Rosenbaum, HollywoodReporter, 1 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for expand
Recent Examples of Synonyms for expand
Verb
  • Clusters of thunderstorms can develop over the ocean when water temperatures exceed 80 degrees.
    Mike Snider, USA Today, 27 Sep. 2025
  • The result is a thinner middle market, not because of a lack of quality companies, but because the supporting financial structures are still developing.
    Aman Ghei, Fortune, 27 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • In 2024, that number increased just slightly—by less than 1%—compared to the year before.
    Chantelle Lee, Time, 30 Sep. 2025
  • Johnson’s detractors accuse him of championing Bukele despite his increasing abuses of power.
    T. Christian Miller, ProPublica, 30 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • Democrats countered that the GOP proposal actually is partisan, since Republicans are seeking to extend funding following the passage of a controversial spending bill that narrowly passed in July over the objections of all congressional Democrats.
    Kevin Breuninger,Sam Meredith, CNBC, 1 Oct. 2025
  • The court will decide whether to extend McElroy’s TRO into a longer preliminary injunction, which would keep the FEMA homeland security grants available while the case proceeds.
    Robert Alexander, MSNBC Newsweek, 1 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • This project secures funding through the Critical Design Review phase, procurement of long lead material for qualification, and will enable increased and accelerated capacity for solid rocket motor production, according to a press release.
    Prabhat Ranjan Mishra, Interesting Engineering, 27 Sep. 2025
  • Government initiatives have accelerated this shift.
    Li Jun, Footwear News, 26 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • Atterholt said the fiber optic sensing technology would not supplant traditional seismometers, but would supplement what data already exists and would be less expensive than installing seismometers on the seafloor.
    Evan Bush, NBC news, 25 Sep. 2025
  • Clinical decision support tools are not meant to replace physicians' education and expertise, but to supplement them.
    Alexis Kayser, MSNBC Newsweek, 24 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • In months, not years, utilities are already seeing the benefits of AI tools designed to augment human decision-making.
    Preston Fore, Fortune, 27 Sep. 2025
  • The sequence augmented took place at a wedding between two men, with AI editing swapping one man’s face for a woman’s.
    Anthony D'Alessandro, Deadline, 24 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • One point is needed to open each door between rooms, and some rooms have multi-point penalties just for entering.
    Kayti Burt, Time, 26 Sep. 2025
  • This is a woman who can’t open the refrigerator without having a panic attack.
    Brian Moylan, Vulture, 26 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • Courtney Stodden rose to fame as a tabloid fixture and reality TV star after marrying 51-year-old actor Doug Hutchison at age 16.
    Randall Colburn, Entertainment Weekly, 27 Sep. 2025
  • Despite having full-time employment, many struggle to save enough for housing due to stagnant wages and rising expenses.
    Miami Herald Archives, Miami Herald, 27 Sep. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Expand.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/expand. Accessed 2 Oct. 2025.

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