extend
verb
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Definition of extend
1 : to spread or stretch forth : unbend extended both her arms
2a : to stretch out to fullest length
b : to cause (an animal, such as a horse) to move at full stride
c : to exert (oneself) to full capacity could work long and hard without seeming to extend himself
d(1) : to increase the bulk of (as by adding a cheaper substance or a modifier)
(2) : adulterate
3 [ Middle English, from Medieval Latin extendere (from Latin) or Anglo-French estendre, from Old French ]
a British : to take possession of (something, such as land) by a writ of extent
b obsolete : to take by force
4a : to make the offer of : proffer extending aid to the needy extending their greetings
b : to make available extending credit to customers
5a : to cause to reach (as in distance or scope) national authority was extended over new territories
b : to cause to be longer : prolong extend the side of a triangle extended their visit another day also : to prolong the time of payment of
c : advance, further extending her potential through job training
6a : to cause to be of greater area or volume : enlarge extended the patio to the back of the house
b : to increase the scope, meaning, or application of : broaden beauty, I suppose, opens the heart, extends the consciousness— Algernon Blackwood
c archaic : exaggerate
1 : to stretch out in distance, space, or time : reach their jurisdiction extended over the whole area
2 : to reach in scope or application his concern extends beyond mere business to real service to his customers
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Other Words from extend
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noun
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adjective
Synonyms & Antonyms for extend
Synonyms
accelerate, add (to), aggrandize, amplify, augment, boost, build up, compound, enlarge, escalate, expand, hype, increase, multiply, pump up, raise, stoke, supersize, swell, up
Antonyms
abate, decrease, de-escalate, diminish, downsize, dwindle, lessen, lower, minify, reduce, subtract (from)
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Examples of extend in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Where to Eat The Haute Savoie offers many shades of delectable fare, starting with Sulpice’s spectacular meals and extending to local comfort food. — Elizabeth Wellington, Vogue, "Exploring Annecy, the Venice of the French Alps," 7 Nov. 2018 Pinterest users are even excited about extending the sparkle trend to their fingernails. — Lauren Rearick, Teen Vogue, "Pinterest Shared Its Most Popular Holiday Beauty Routines for 2018," 6 Nov. 2018 If your habit of falling asleep really quickly extends to the daytime, that’s a clear sign you’re sleep-deprived or dealing with another health issue. Don’t ignore a general tendency to nod off during the day. — Nina Bahadur, SELF, "What Does It Mean if You Fall Asleep Instantly Every Night?," 20 Oct. 2018 Many people don’t realize that the amazing beauty of nature extends to the microscopic world. — Ernie Mastroianni, Discover Magazine, "Meet the Man Who Takes Pictures of Microbes," 18 Oct. 2018 His urgent message came shortly after President Trump approved an emergency declaration in the state, extending federal resources to Florida in anticipation of the impending hurricane. — Fox News, "Hurricane Michael, Category 3, getting 'better organized' as it approaches Florida's Gulf Coast, officials say," 9 Oct. 2018 But beneath HP’s Spectre stamp also hides the product of a rare collaboration between Intel’s top engineers and select customers, which helped extend the Folio’s battery life to a whopping 18 hours. — Mark Hachman, PCWorld, "A dream team of Intel engineers helped create HP's tiny Spectre Folio motherboard," 1 Oct. 2018 Until 2014 the state's constitution spelled out a fundamental right to privacy, extending to a person’s option to terminate a pregnancy. — Beca Grimm, Marie Claire, "Getting an Abortion Can Be Lonely. These People Will Hold Your Hand.," 11 Sep. 2018 The passion for fairness and justice extended to our own military when a private was poorly seaman was overworked in terrible conditions, John enjoyed nothing more than dressing down an admiral or a general. — Lauren Hubbard, Town & Country, "Read the Full Transcript of George W. Bush's Eulogy for John McCain," 1 Sep. 2018These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'extend.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
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More Definitions for extend
extend
verb
English Language Learners Definition of extend
: to cause (something, such as your arm or leg) to straighten out or to stretch out
: to become longer or to be able to become longer
: to continue in a specified direction or over a specified distance, space, or time
See the full definition for extend in the English Language Learners Dictionary
extend
verb
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Kids Definition of extend
1 : to hold out extend a hand
2 : to stretch out or across something There was no way of going around it, for it seemed to extend … as far as they could see …— L. Frank Baum, The Wizard of Oz
3 : to make longer extend a visit
4 : stretch entry 1 sense 2 extend a sail
5 : enlarge extend the meaning of a word
extend
transitive verb
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Medical Definition of extend
1 : to straighten out (as an arm or leg)
2 : to increase the quantity or bulk of (as by adding a cheaper substance or a modifier) extending ground meat with cereal also : adulterate
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