as in expansions
a wide space or area
the great explorers who crossed the vast expanses of the seven seas in small ships
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Recent Examples of expanses
Large expanses of glass can counter the radiator's efforts to heat the room.
—
Lee Wallender, The Spruce, 17 Feb. 2026
Under her latest alias, Angel Marcloid offers a beguiling collection of modular synth experiments that cycle between harsh textures and monochromatic expanses.
—Maxie Younger, Pitchfork, 11 Feb. 2026
Nature lovers seeking fresh air and green open spaces will delight in the city’s location directly by the lake, in its abundant expanses of forest and parkland, and in its very own mountain, the Uetliberg.
—Meghan Palmer, Condé Nast Traveler, 11 Feb. 2026
Bonhams, the international auction house, managed to find such a spread in a 42,000-square-foot space that is knitted from the lower floors of an odd collection of prewar buildings and razed lots, with pops of old brick walls and limestone interrupting expanses of sheer, contemporary glass.
—Adriane Quinlan, Curbed, 9 Feb. 2026
Danish special forces maintain a presence in those wild expanses.
—Ken Harbaugh, The Atlantic, 9 Feb. 2026
Manuel also jangles this apparent order with the striking visual trope of disorienting disproportions of scale—figures appearing unexpectedly small or large in the course’s expanses.
—Richard Brody, New Yorker, 4 Feb. 2026
But wide expanses of undeveloped land offer developers the chance to build new subdivisions — prime real estate for new home buyers.
—Alexandra Glorioso, Miami Herald, 29 Jan. 2026
Unmanned aircraft systems of various sizes and designs are proving resilient at performing reconnaissance over large expanses of ocean, with range and endurance exceeding human limitations.
—Zita Ballinger Fletcher, Forbes.com, 28 Jan. 2026
Lee Wallender, The Spruce, 17 Feb. 2026
Under her latest alias, Angel Marcloid offers a beguiling collection of modular synth experiments that cycle between harsh textures and monochromatic expanses.
—Maxie Younger, Pitchfork, 11 Feb. 2026
Nature lovers seeking fresh air and green open spaces will delight in the city’s location directly by the lake, in its abundant expanses of forest and parkland, and in its very own mountain, the Uetliberg.
—Meghan Palmer, Condé Nast Traveler, 11 Feb. 2026
Bonhams, the international auction house, managed to find such a spread in a 42,000-square-foot space that is knitted from the lower floors of an odd collection of prewar buildings and razed lots, with pops of old brick walls and limestone interrupting expanses of sheer, contemporary glass.
—Adriane Quinlan, Curbed, 9 Feb. 2026
Danish special forces maintain a presence in those wild expanses.
—Ken Harbaugh, The Atlantic, 9 Feb. 2026
Manuel also jangles this apparent order with the striking visual trope of disorienting disproportions of scale—figures appearing unexpectedly small or large in the course’s expanses.
—Richard Brody, New Yorker, 4 Feb. 2026
But wide expanses of undeveloped land offer developers the chance to build new subdivisions — prime real estate for new home buyers.
—Alexandra Glorioso, Miami Herald, 29 Jan. 2026
Unmanned aircraft systems of various sizes and designs are proving resilient at performing reconnaissance over large expanses of ocean, with range and endurance exceeding human limitations.
—Zita Ballinger Fletcher, Forbes.com, 28 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for expanses
Noun
-
In addition to her Oscar-winning acting work, Paltrow is the founder of goop, multiple category-ensemble of brands, including goop Beauty, GWYN, and goop Kitchen, a fast-growing, health-forward take-out and delivery concept with 13 locations and new market expansions underway.—
Marc Malkin,
Variety,
24 Feb. 2026
-
For EssilorLuxottica, the burgeoning demand for AI glasses comes with a downside, in the form of lower profit margins due to costs such as factory expansions and more-expensive electronic components.—
Bloomberg,
Mercury News,
24 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
That’s in addition to freshman All-American Jahkeem Stewart and fellow rising sophomore Floyd Boucard, who was a standout in stretches last season.—
Ryan Kartje,
Los Angeles Times,
24 Feb. 2026
-
Before it, the shimmering Atlantic stretches to the horizon.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
24 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Whether your preferred landscape is mountains, deserts, forests, plains, or coastal views, there’s a spring road trip in the United States for you.—
Patricia Doherty,
Travel + Leisure,
19 Feb. 2026
-
They are now found on the coastal plains of Mississippi, Alabama, Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, and North Carolina.—
Laura Baisas,
Popular Science,
19 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Adults like walking far distances, but kids just don’t.—
Outside,
Outside,
23 Feb. 2026
-
As per Mudesir, quantum teleportation lays the groundwork for linking quantum computers across distances and pooling their computing power.—
Georgina Jedikovska,
Interesting Engineering,
23 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
There is much talk of rent and the lengths people are willing to go in order to pay it.—
Naomi Fry,
New Yorker,
21 Feb. 2026
-
Kennedy and Bessette went to great lengths to ensure that their wedding was free from the media.—
Melissa Locker,
Southern Living,
21 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Using Downy dryer sheets to remove static from wavy fur coats.—
Andrew Norman Wilson,
Harpers Magazine,
24 Feb. 2026
-
He’d been entranced by the big rolls of paper and the long sheets of it running through the air, from one part of the press to another.—
Beth Gardiner,
Time,
24 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Expanses.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/expanses. Accessed 26 Feb. 2026.
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