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verb

Definition of EXPAND

1

to express more fully and in greater detail <an article on the First Ladies that the author later expanded into a book>

Synonyms amplify, develop, dilate (on or upon), elaborate (on), enlarge (on or upon), flesh (out)

Related Words add (to), complement, supplement; discourse, expatiate, ramble, run on

Near Antonyms compress, contract; outline, summarize, sum up

Antonyms abbreviate, abridge, condense, shorten

2

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 accelerate, add (to), aggrandize, amplify, augment, boost, build up, compound, enlarge, escalate, expand, extend, hype, multiply, pump up, raise, swell, stoke, supersize, up

Related Words boom, jump, skyrocket, spike; bump (up), ratchet (up) also rachet (up); blow up, dilate, distend, inflate; draw out, elongate, flesh (out), lengthen, prolong, protract, stretch; develop, enhance, heighten, intensify, magnify; complement, supplement; beef (up), reinforce (also reenforce), strengthen; maximize; accumulate, amass, collect; follow up, parlay

Near Antonyms abbreviate, abridge, curtail, shorten; compress, condense, constrict, contract; cut back, retrench

Antonyms abate, decrease, de-escalate, diminish, downsize, dwindle, lessen, lower, minify, reduce, subtract (from)

3

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 expand, extend, fan (out), flare (out), outspread, outstretch, spread (out), stretch (out), unfold, unfurl

Related Words overspread

Near Antonyms compact, compress, condense, reduce

Antonyms close, contract, fold

4

to become greater in extent, volume, amount, or number <water expands when it becomes frozen>

Synonyms accelerate, accumulate, appreciate, balloon, boom, build up, burgeon (also bourgeon), climb, enlarge, escalate, expand, gain, mount, multiply, mushroom, proliferate, rise, roll up, snowball, spread, swell, wax

Related Words jump, rocket, skyrocket, surge; heighten, intensify, redouble; blow up, bulk, distend, inflate, puff (up); crescendo, crest, peak

Antonyms contract, decrease, diminish, dwindle, lessen, recede, wane