expands

Definition of expandsnext
present tense third-person singular of expand
1
2
3
as in extends
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

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 expands Here, the traditional expectations of a five-star stay are softened into something more personal—where time expands, space breathes, and every detail is designed to feel intuitive rather than imposed. Miami Herald, 1 May 2026 On top of bringing hundreds of new jobs to the Marion County community, Equestrian Manor expands the options for events — with spaces available for weddings, meetings and other gatherings. Amy Drew Thompson, The Orlando Sentinel, 1 May 2026 Their debut album expands on their pop-meets-Panorama Bar ethos, landing on a blissful medium that will please casual heads and die-hard Front Left-ers alike. Jazz Monroe, Pitchfork, 1 May 2026 Healthy tissue expands, takes on more function. Armstrong Williams, Baltimore Sun, 1 May 2026 Chinese manufacturing activity expands for second month China’s manufacturing sector is holding up despite the Iran war, even as the country’s broader economy showed vulnerabilities. Andrew Edgecliffe-Johnson, semafor.com, 30 Apr. 2026 That’s the true greatness of Free Comic Book Day, which now nurtures and expands upon the culture in which it was born. Jim Harrington, Mercury News, 30 Apr. 2026 The current exhibition expands on that collaboration, bringing new installations and familiar series back to the West Michigan cultural destination. Ginger Crichton, Midwest Living, 30 Apr. 2026 The second phase expands the system significantly, incorporating tens of thousands of CPUs, large-scale interconnect infrastructure, and extensive storage systems designed for high-throughput computing workloads. Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 30 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for expands
Verb
  • From drawing, everything else develops.
    Eana Kim, ARTnews.com, 27 Apr. 2026
  • If Ty Simpson develops into a top NFL quarterback who leads the Rams to a Super Bowl title, the club will look back at the 2026 draft as one of the best and shrewdest in its history.
    Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 26 Apr. 2026
Verb
  • This greatly increases the surface area available for electrochemical reactions and enables faster charging and discharging while maintaining high power density in an extremely small footprint.
    Georgina Jedikovska, Interesting Engineering, 29 Apr. 2026
  • Across the spectrum, increases to bonus payouts ranged from 6% to 43%, with a median of 13%, and an average increase of 12%.
    Amanda Gerut, Fortune, 29 Apr. 2026
Verb
  • The Israeli government and military have said forces will remain in a buffer zone that spans the countries' border and extends at least six miles into Lebanese territory, and that residents will not be allowed to return home, until the Hezbollah threat is removed.
    CBS News, CBS News, 28 Apr. 2026
  • The decision also extends to OPEC+, a larger group that consists of other oil producers such as Russia.
    Hanna Ziady, CNN Money, 28 Apr. 2026
Verb
  • Rare earth demand rises The ubiquity of rare earth elements means demand keeps rising.
    Anton L. Delgado, Los Angeles Times, 29 Apr. 2026
  • From the fiery lake of damnation, Lucifer rises as Satan to seduce humanity’s first parents, Adam and Eve, in the flawless Garden of Eden, triggering the Fall of Man and the loss of Paradise itself.
    Andreas Wiseman, Deadline, 29 Apr. 2026
Verb
  • Indeed, emerging evidence suggests that early detection and aggressive treatment of psychiatric symptoms may improve long-term outcomes by delaying the onset of clinical neurodegeneration and mitigating the cumulative biological stress that accelerates brain aging.
    Eric J. Nestler, STAT, 28 Apr. 2026
  • Collagen loss accelerates, cell turnover slows, and deep wrinkles become more prominent.
    Lauren Jarvis-Gibson, Kansas City Star, 27 Apr. 2026
Verb
  • At Vato, in Park Slope—which, blessedly, opens at seven in the morning—the tortillas are thin and rich, with chewy interiors and a flaky, blistered outside from the heat of the flattop.
    Helen Rosner, New Yorker, 3 May 2026
  • Policy shift opens unexpected door In January 2026, the administration changed its policy for R‑1 visa holders.
    Ken Molestina, CBS News, 2 May 2026
Verb
  • And as the brightening world starts to resume familiar form, the glorious chorus swells with the songs of blue tits, goldfinches, chaffinches.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 23 Apr. 2026
  • What really surprised the rather unflappable ISS and Glass Lewis was a tax reimbursement of $334 million that swells the total payout to $886 million.
    Jill Goldsmith, Deadline, 23 Apr. 2026
Verb
  • This is the first of a new type of rideshare program flying to that orbit that augments SpaceX’s Transporter program that flies to SSO.
    Richard Tribou, The Orlando Sentinel, 1 May 2026
  • Any presence on the interior that augments the pass rush would be welcome, no matter the primary position.
    Paul Dehner Jr, New York Times, 15 Apr. 2026

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Expands.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/expands. Accessed 3 May. 2026.

More from Merriam-Webster on expands

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