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expand

verb

Synonyms and Antonyms 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 of expand

amplify, develop, dilate (on or upon), elaborate (on), enlarge (on or upon), flesh (out)
Words Related to expand

add (to), complement, supplement

discourse, expatiate, ramble, run on
Near Antonyms of expand

compress, contract

outline, summarize, sum up
Antonyms of expand

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 wouldnʼt dream of excluding
Synonyms of expand

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

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 of expand

abbreviate, abridge, curtail, shorten

compress, condense, constrict, contract

cut back, retrench
Antonyms of expand

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 of expand

extend, fan (out), flare (out), open, outspread, outstretch, spread (out), stretch (out), unfold, unfurl
Words Related to expand

overspread
Near Antonyms of expand

compact, compress, condense, reduce
Antonyms of expand

close, contract, fold

4 to become greater in extent, volume, amount, or number

  • water expands when it becomes frozen
Synonyms of expand

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

jump, rocket, skyrocket, surge

heighten, intensify, redouble

blow up, bulk, distend, inflate, puff (up)

crescendo, crest, peak
Antonyms of expand

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

Synonym Discussion of expand

expand, amplify, swell, distend, inflate, dilate 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
amplify implies the extension or enlargement of something inadequate.
    • amplify the statement with details
swell implies gradual expansion beyond a thing's original or normal limits.
    • the bureaucracy swelled to unmanageable proportions
distend implies outward extension caused by pressure from within.
    • a distended abdomen
inflate implies expanding by introduction of air or something insubstantial and suggests a vulnerability to sudden collapse.
    • an inflated ego
dilate applies especially to expansion of circumference.
    • dilated pupils

Learn More about expand

  1. See words that rhyme with expand Dictionary: Definition of expand Spanish Central: Translation of expand Nglish: Translation of expand for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of expand for Arabic speakers

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