expands

present tense third-person singular of expand
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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

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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 Usage spikes can happen suddenly, experimentation expands rapidly across teams and model selection decisions may be driven more by hype than operational efficiency. Deepak Mittal, Forbes.com, 26 June 2026 The brand also expands its reach through digital tools, virtual consultants and ongoing training to maintain its product accessibility and integrity. Fairchild Studio, Footwear News, 26 June 2026 The renewal expands on three years of collaboration meant to modernize the technology behind key league operations. Sportico Staff, Sportico.com, 26 June 2026 International rescue effort expands The international response has continued to grow rapidly. Antonio María Delgado, Miami Herald, 26 June 2026 Human spaceflight often expands beyond purely technical or scientific endeavors into ones of national pride and importance. Margaret Landis, The Conversation, 18 June 2026 As the polymer expands, the tiny pores dilate, allowing larger molecules to slip through. Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 18 June 2026 Cabins aren’t fully pressurized, so the gas in your stomach expands at altitude and leaves you bloated. Ryan Brennan, Kansas City Star, 12 June 2026 Its acquisition of the 219 Big Lots stores expands its footprint to over 600 stores across 18 states. Daniel R. Depetris, MSNBC Newsweek, 10 Apr. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for expands
Verb
  • As this increasingly audacious killer develops a devoted following among the city’s powerless, Bishop becomes convinced these murders connect back to SF’s most powerful man, his own father, Lincoln Graves (John Malkovich).
    Rosy Cordero, Deadline, 22 June 2026
  • The Federal Emergency Management Agency develops and updates maps that determine who's in a flood plain and must buy insurance, and to help communities plan.
    CBS News, CBS News, 22 June 2026
Verb
  • That increases borrowing costs across the wider economy, including people’s mortgage rates.
    Anna Cooban, CNN Money, 25 June 2026
  • People taking diuretics, beta-blockers or any transdermal medication patches should check with a doctor first since heat significantly increases drug absorption through the skin.
    Allison Palmer Updated June 24, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 24 June 2026
Verb
  • Tuesday’s ruling declares the case a class action and extends the order nationwide.
    Sharon Bernstein, Sacbee.com, 24 June 2026
  • Leadership extends far beyond an intellectual and emotional endeavor.
    Julian Hayes II, Forbes.com, 24 June 2026
Verb
  • And when a bond is dumped, its yield — or the interest the government must pay new investors in those same bonds — rises.
    Anna Cooban, CNN Money, 25 June 2026
  • Black smoke rises from the area of the Russian oil producer Gazprom Neft's Moscow oil refinery on the south-eastern outskirts of Moscow on June 18, 2026.
    Sam Meredith, CNBC, 24 June 2026
Verb
  • Pipeline growth often accelerates for organizations that invest in content designed to genuinely help buyers evaluate challenges and make informed decisions.
    David Steifman, Forbes.com, 23 June 2026
  • Shares have jumped 80% in the year to date as an ongoing memory supply crunch accelerates the adoption of lithography equipment for the production of semiconductors required to power the AI revolution.
    Liz Napolitano, CNBC, 22 June 2026
Verb
  • Sagittarius November 22 – December 21 Steady effort opens a surprisingly easy door.
    Tarot.com, Hartford Courant, 28 June 2026
  • November 22 – December 21 Steady effort opens a surprisingly easy door.
    Tarot.com, Sun Sentinel, 28 June 2026
Verb
  • And if out-of-towners are visiting, the ranks of the older timers swells a few more.
    Christopher Buchanan, Los Angeles Times, 26 June 2026
  • Sense of place The river — which swells with spring snowmelt — and surrounding wilderness give the property a strong sense of place.
    David Caraccio, Sacbee.com, 23 June 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, 17 June 2026
  • The core group now augments itself with the bass clarinetist Madison Greenstone, trombonist Weston Olencki, and, for the first time in the band’s history, vocals.
    Jayson Greene, Pitchfork, 16 June 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Expands.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/expands. Accessed 29 Jun. 2026.

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