expanded 1 of 2

adjective

Definition of expandednext
as in blown up

Related Words

Relevance

Dissimilar Words

expanded

2 of 2

verb

past tense of expand
1
as in developed
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

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in increased
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 extended
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 accelerated
to become greater in extent, volume, amount, or number water expands when it becomes frozen

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 expanded
Verb
The company also acquired a bank, expanded to tourism and even considered buying an airline. — ABC News, 17 Aug. 2026 Plans call for the addition of 9,000 more homes and expanded retail, including a supermarket and home improvement store, over the next two decades. — Adam Van Brimmer, AJC.com, 17 Aug. 2026 To the surprise of no one, police practices during the single term of de Blasio’s successor, Eric Adams, not just persisted in targeting New Yorkers of color, but expanded their discriminatory impact. — Robert Gangi, New York Daily News, 16 Aug. 2026 The bill allowed racetracks to add the casino component, six new casinos to be constructed, sports betting to be introduced and video gambling to be expanded. — Neil Milbert, Chicago Tribune, 16 Aug. 2026 The company has since expanded Frozen’s global footprint to include sing-along specials, video games, merchandise, and even theme park rides and attractions around the world. — Joey Nolfi, Entertainment Weekly, 15 Aug. 2026 Some owners have expanded beyond their traditional clientele by embracing tourism and technology, while others say rising rents, inflation and difficulty finding willing landlords have made keeping their doors open a growing challenge. — Delia Sauer, Miami Herald, 15 Aug. 2026 The lineup has expanded beyond its viral multi-balm, too, with lightweight SPF sticks and even a mess-minimizing grinding cleansing balm. — Christa Joanna Lee, Allure, 15 Aug. 2026 Clinicians here expanded on his work to create the Lanserhof Concept. — Justin Fenner, Robb Report, 15 Aug. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for expanded
  1. distended
  2. developed
  3. increased
  4. extended
  5. accelerated
  6. swollen
  7. augmented
  8. opened
Adjective
  • Fiber slows gastric emptying, making the stomach more distended.
    — Amy Brownstein, Verywell Health, 27 May 2026
  • The distended episodes were littered with what feels like filler, little of which offered much in the way of narrative value.
    — Emma Flint, IndieWire, 25 Nov. 2025
Definition of distended
Verb
  • Sabio said the proposals were developed through conversations with residents rather than solely by his campaign.
    — Amy DeLaura, The Washington Examiner, 15 Aug. 2026
  • The hotel itself was built in 1913 when the neighborhood was being developed.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 15 Aug. 2026
Definition of developed
Verb
  • Diagnoses of autism, a neurodevelopmental condition that affects how people communicate and behave, have increased roughly fivefold over the past couple of decades.
    — Amanda Seitz, CBS News, 17 Aug. 2026
  • Confusion reigns Wright asserted that the seven-day average of oil flowing out of the Strait of Hormuz had increased to 9 million barrels per day.
    — David Goldman, CNN Money, 17 Aug. 2026
Definition of increased
Verb
  • The England Under-18 international declined to sign a professional contract with Rovers, who instead extended his scholarship agreement into a third year.
    — Chris Weatherspoon, New York Times, 18 Aug. 2026
  • Route 79 is extended to serve the 40th Street Market-Frankford (L) stop on every other trip.
    — Laura Fay, CBS News, 17 Aug. 2026
Definition of extended
Verb
  • The Pole accelerated on the stage’s fourth ascent of the Col d’Eze, but couldn’t open a gap.
    — Jessica Hopkins, New York Times, 15 Aug. 2026
  • Inequality has accelerated at an ever-growing pace, blowing past that of any previous eras, including the Gilded Age.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 14 Aug. 2026
Definition of accelerated
Adjective
  • Upon arrival, police found 37-year-old Destiny Dunn deceased with bruises on her body, including her neck and face, and her eyelids were swollen and discolored, according to court documents.
    — Kendrick Calfee, Kansas City Star, 15 Aug. 2026
  • So is a swollen lymph node on the same side of your body as the scratch, which can signal cat-scratch disease, a bacterial infection most common in kids.
    — Angela Haupt, Time, 12 Aug. 2026
Definition of swollen
Verb
  • Meanwhile, Ukraine has already augmented its air defenses around Odesa and other ports, with videos showing aircraft, including an F-16 and a Yak-52, shooting down Geran-4s.
    — Vikram Mittal, Forbes.com, 9 Aug. 2026
  • It’s been a banner year for Dean, who kicked it off by winning the Grammy for Best New Artist in February and it’s been augmented by her making history.
    — Althea Legaspi, Rolling Stone, 2 Aug. 2026
Definition of augmented
Verb
  • Upper West Market is an indoor farmers market that opened in August in Atlanta’s Underwood Hills neighborhood with a variety of vendors offering fresh produce, local meat, pantry goods and homeware.
    — Olivia Wakim, AJC.com, 18 Aug. 2026
  • Ruti continues to expand with more brick-and-mortar stores and recently opened their first Manhattan store, since the in-person experience has always been a cornerstone of the brand.
    — Celia Shatzman, Forbes.com, 17 Aug. 2026
Definition of opened

Browse Nearby Words

expand
expanded
expanding
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Expanded.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/expanded. Accessed 20 Aug. 2026.

Copy Citation

More from Merriam-Webster on expanded

Nglish: Translation of expanded for Spanish Speakers

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of divulge

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Do you 'say your piece' or 'say your peace'?

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

Words from the 'Odyssey'

The Longest Long Words List

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat

Is “GIF” Pronounced “Jiff” or “Giff”?

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World
See More

Popular

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

Words from the 'Odyssey'

The Longest Long Words List
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
image of a green cube out of place in a lineup of red spheres
Odd Word Out: Synonyms Vol. 2 Quiz Figure out which word isn't like the others.
See All