as in expansions
a wide space or area
the great explorers who crossed the vast expanses of the seven seas in small ships
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
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 expanses
That's why there's no greater joy in journalism than driving through the great expanses of the West.
—
Brittney Melton, NPR, 2 Apr. 2026
The world’s continents are fringed by vast expanses of sand and mud.
—David George Haskell, Big Think, 27 Mar. 2026
Driving east on Route 80 toward the Meta site in Holly Ridge, an unincorporated rural community about 15 minutes east of Rayville—the landscape is defined by flat expanses of soybean and cotton fields, punctuated by grain silos, grazing cows, and the occasional tractor.
—Sharon Goldman, Fortune, 26 Mar. 2026
Large expanses of glass open seamlessly to the outdoors.
—Wendy Bowman, Robb Report, 26 Mar. 2026
Large expanses of the desert may flood, in some cases picking up a year’s worth of rainfall in three days.
—Matthew Cappucci, Washington Post, 24 Mar. 2026
The dry lake beds that flanked the highway, usually cracked expanses of tan, were becoming actual lakes.
—Eric Boodman, STAT, 23 Mar. 2026
From the open expanses of the Lake District to the rugged terrain of the Scottish Highlands via Wales’s peaks, there is no shortage of places to work up a sweat, al fresco, across the UK.
—Connor Sturges, Condé Nast Traveler, 18 Mar. 2026
In his score, Wagner manipulates space and scale, suggesting intimate chambers and vast expanses of the North Atlantic with innumerable shadings of orchestration.
—Justin Davidson, Vulture, 11 Mar. 2026
Brittney Melton, NPR, 2 Apr. 2026
The world’s continents are fringed by vast expanses of sand and mud.
—David George Haskell, Big Think, 27 Mar. 2026
Driving east on Route 80 toward the Meta site in Holly Ridge, an unincorporated rural community about 15 minutes east of Rayville—the landscape is defined by flat expanses of soybean and cotton fields, punctuated by grain silos, grazing cows, and the occasional tractor.
—Sharon Goldman, Fortune, 26 Mar. 2026
Large expanses of glass open seamlessly to the outdoors.
—Wendy Bowman, Robb Report, 26 Mar. 2026
Large expanses of the desert may flood, in some cases picking up a year’s worth of rainfall in three days.
—Matthew Cappucci, Washington Post, 24 Mar. 2026
The dry lake beds that flanked the highway, usually cracked expanses of tan, were becoming actual lakes.
—Eric Boodman, STAT, 23 Mar. 2026
From the open expanses of the Lake District to the rugged terrain of the Scottish Highlands via Wales’s peaks, there is no shortage of places to work up a sweat, al fresco, across the UK.
—Connor Sturges, Condé Nast Traveler, 18 Mar. 2026
In his score, Wagner manipulates space and scale, suggesting intimate chambers and vast expanses of the North Atlantic with innumerable shadings of orchestration.
—Justin Davidson, Vulture, 11 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for expanses
Noun
-
It’s survived trends, closures, expansions, contractions and Charlotte’s constant identity shifts.—
Timothy DePeugh,
Charlotte Observer,
8 Apr. 2026
-
This could be one of two major expansions of vocational education in the district.—
Scott Travis,
Sun Sentinel,
4 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Adding defensive end Rashan Gary will help bolster a pass rush that was dormant for stretches at a time last season, and bringing in safety Jalen Thompson will give some reliability on the back end that Dallas desperately needed after giving up the most passing yards of any team in the NFL in 2025.—
Nick Harris,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
6 Apr. 2026
-
Denver metro test drive loop My drives with the Prius covered much of the South Denver metro area, including stretches of C-470 and E-470, where steady highway cruising allowed the hybrid system to show off its efficiency.—
Sponsored Content,
Denver Post,
4 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
The dry plains of Colorado have enough challenges for farmers this year, but the rising cost of fertilizer is adding to a difficult situation.—
Alan Gionet,
CBS News,
3 Apr. 2026
-
First, find Copernicus shining brightly 10 degrees above the lunar equator, brightening the dark basaltic plains on the western lunar surface, and Tycho, which dominates the southern hemisphere of Earth's natural satellite around the full moon phase.—
Anthony Wood,
Space.com,
3 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
The portable help pendant elicited an immediate response from every room in my single-story three-bedroom ranch and worked perfectly at distances of 100 too 400 feet while outside of my home.—
John R. Delaney,
PC Magazine,
6 Apr. 2026
-
While Apollo astronauts also circled the moon at even closer distances and spied some of the mysterious far side, the circumstances of the Artemis II flyby differ in a few ways.—
Ashley Strickland,
CNN Money,
6 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
In the years since then, Cordes and his team have followed nearly three hundred individual coral colonies within sixteen kilometres of the spill, recording minuscule changes in color, branch lengths, and physical integrity.—
Jeffrey Marlow,
New Yorker,
5 Apr. 2026
-
While some of the lengths Amanda went to acquire such items may have been extreme, her interest was not.—
Rich Schapiro,
NBC news,
3 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Pictures from the scene showed several Easter eggs scattered on the ground as two of the victims were seen covered in white sheets.—
Landon Mion,
FOXNews.com,
6 Apr. 2026
-
Puff pastry sheets can be found in the freezer section of your local grocer.—
Anna Price Olson,
Southern Living,
6 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Expanses.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/expanses. Accessed 8 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
