1
as in developing
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
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in increasing
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 extending
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 rising
to become greater in extent, volume, amount, or number
water expands when it becomes frozen
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of expanding
Camp Lucy, a Texas Wine Country resort, is also expanding with the debut of Folklore, a new spa experience blending wellness, color therapy and social connection.
—
Laura Begley Bloom, Forbes.com, 29 Jan. 2026
Levine Cava also pointed to Miami-Dade's expanding economy, fueled in part by major international events such as Formula One races at Hard Rock Stadium and upcoming FIFA World Cup matches.
—Nikiya Carrero, CBS News, 29 Jan. 2026
Backlogs are expanding rapidly, up 40% year over year in the steel mills segment and 15% in the steel products segment.
—Josh Brown,sean Russo, CNBC, 29 Jan. 2026
In this regard, Katseye is much like Santos Bravos, the boy band produced via reality series by HYBE Latin America, targeted to that ever-expanding market.
—Sheldon Pearce, NPR, 29 Jan. 2026
Oklahoma ranch family buys Palo Pinto ranches The K6+ ranch in Palo Pinto County changed hands late last year, and an Oklahoma ranching family is expanding its North Texas holdings.
—Nick Wooten, Dallas Morning News, 29 Jan. 2026
Monfils was amazed by his wife’s strength after expanding their family.
—Erica Marrison, PEOPLE, 29 Jan. 2026
During these years, England was involved in different wars, the British Empire was expanding globally, and the Industrial Revolution was in full swing.
—Literary Hub, 23 Jan. 2026
Here, too, DaCosta’s reconfiguration of Ibsen, by making Hedda Gabler’s former lover (and her husband’s main professional rival) a woman, and by greatly expanding that role, offers Nina Hoss a showcase for intellectual passion and romantic frenzy.
—Richard Brody, New Yorker, 22 Jan. 2026
Laura Begley Bloom, Forbes.com, 29 Jan. 2026
Levine Cava also pointed to Miami-Dade's expanding economy, fueled in part by major international events such as Formula One races at Hard Rock Stadium and upcoming FIFA World Cup matches.
—Nikiya Carrero, CBS News, 29 Jan. 2026
Backlogs are expanding rapidly, up 40% year over year in the steel mills segment and 15% in the steel products segment.
—Josh Brown,sean Russo, CNBC, 29 Jan. 2026
In this regard, Katseye is much like Santos Bravos, the boy band produced via reality series by HYBE Latin America, targeted to that ever-expanding market.
—Sheldon Pearce, NPR, 29 Jan. 2026
Oklahoma ranch family buys Palo Pinto ranches The K6+ ranch in Palo Pinto County changed hands late last year, and an Oklahoma ranching family is expanding its North Texas holdings.
—Nick Wooten, Dallas Morning News, 29 Jan. 2026
Monfils was amazed by his wife’s strength after expanding their family.
—Erica Marrison, PEOPLE, 29 Jan. 2026
During these years, England was involved in different wars, the British Empire was expanding globally, and the Industrial Revolution was in full swing.
—Literary Hub, 23 Jan. 2026
Here, too, DaCosta’s reconfiguration of Ibsen, by making Hedda Gabler’s former lover (and her husband’s main professional rival) a woman, and by greatly expanding that role, offers Nina Hoss a showcase for intellectual passion and romantic frenzy.
—Richard Brody, New Yorker, 22 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for expanding
Verb
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Its terms included developing a performance suede and a high-quality crust for full-grain alternatives.—
Alexandra Harrell,
Sourcing Journal,
29 Jan. 2026
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That’ll require developing a rushing attack that can be dominant like head coach and play-caller Dave Canales wants.—
Alex Zietlow,
Charlotte Observer,
29 Jan. 2026
Verb
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His administration is facing increasing scrutiny after immigration officers killed two American citizens in Minneapolis this month.—
David Zimmermann,
The Washington Examiner,
30 Jan. 2026
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Powerful onshore winds are forecast to coincide with some of the highest tides of the month, increasing the risk of moderate to locally significant coastal flooding, particularly during high tide cycles late Saturday into Sunday.—
Briana Waxman,
CNN Money,
30 Jan. 2026
Verb
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In fact, extending the lives of the sick and elderly can impose net costs on society’s ledgers, costs which government regulatory analyses typically ignore.—
James Broughel,
Forbes.com,
27 Jan. 2026
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The court said the injunction effectively amounted to a universal injunction by extending relief to a sweeping, uncertified class of protesters and observers.—
Kaelan Deese,
The Washington Examiner,
27 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Kumar is one of millions of residents in the Indian capital suffering sporadic water shortages due to rising ammonia levels in the Yamuna River that last week forced six of the city’s nine major water plants to shut down.—
Rhea Mogul,
CNN Money,
1 Feb. 2026
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These cycles, which last about 11 years, mark periods of rising and falling solar activity.—
Rupendra Brahambhatt,
Interesting Engineering,
1 Feb. 2026
Verb
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By year’s end, some 9,917 fires scorched more than four million acres, accelerating flash floods and mudflow.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
29 Jan. 2026
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The Democrats largely agreed about issues such as combating climate change, accelerating the transition to clean energy and protecting California’s water resources.—
Seema Mehta,
Los Angeles Times,
29 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Or another extreme swing of the pendulum, guided by the ultrawealthy closing and opening their wallets?—
Jacqui Palumbo,
CNN Money,
27 Jan. 2026
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Cooking down the chicory to the point of jamminess is an eye-opening approach that reveals a world of options beyond salad.—
Shilpa Uskokovic,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
27 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Some analysts pointed to how government bonds have lost some of their traditional appeal as a safe haven amid swelling debt burdens, as seen in recent global bond selloff movements.—
Lee Ying Shan,
CNBC,
29 Jan. 2026
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The naval buildup adds some 5,000 American troops to the region, swelling an already robust American military footprint spread across multiple bases across the Middle East, such as Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar.—
David Brennan,
ABC News,
29 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Preservation was part of the conversation when the two connected, but both were also focused on revitalization and augmenting the structure’s old-world charms with something fresh and modern.—
Lina Lecaro,
Los Angeles Times,
28 Jan. 2026
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The nearly 14-year transit is augmenting the world and our lives.—
Lisa Stardust,
Refinery29,
23 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Expanding.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/expanding. Accessed 3 Feb. 2026.
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