Definition of expatiatenext
as in to speak
to give a formal often extended talk on a subject the naturalist is known for her willingness to expatiate on any number of issues relating to wildlife and the environment

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 expatiate There was no debate on education, for instance, the subject on which Cash had been most keen to expatiate; indeed, there were no debates at all. Anthony Lane, The New Yorker, 25 July 2024 Ostensibly, further studies are encouraged to expatiate this understanding. Amber Smith, Discover Magazine, 7 Jan. 2024 With wit and elan to spare, Greene expatiates on the intrigue that ensues when David Sparsholt, an engineering student with a fiancée, Connie, and a plan to join the Royal Air Force, arrives at Oxford in 1940. Priscilla Gilman, BostonGlobe.com, 9 Mar. 2018 Alex Tizon’s essay can be read not simply as an attempt to confess a crime and expatiate his family’s guilt. Jean M. Twenge, The Atlantic, 8 Aug. 2017
Recent Examples of Synonyms for expatiate
Verb
  • In the Arabic-speaking pic, Barhom stars as Hichem, a customs officer on the Algerian-Tunisian border, who tries to provide a decent life for his wife Leila and little daughter Zineb.
    Annika Pham, Variety, 25 Aug. 2026
  • Mays declined to speak to CNN but a friend and fellow lawyer, Richard Jaffe, passed along a statement from him.
    Alaa Elassar, CNN Money, 25 Aug. 2026
Verb
  • Luann patiently attempts to explain that the women don’t like being lectured to about their business affairs, only for Vicki to abruptly answer a phone call mid-conversation.
    Shamira Ibrahim, Vulture, 24 Aug. 2026
  • Robert Pozen, who lectures at MIT Sloan School of Management and was formerly president of Fidelity Investments, has an answer to the obvious question about who inspects this.
    Dara-Abasi Ita, Forbes.com, 22 Aug. 2026
Verb
  • Fleming by body camera footage, approached Parker, who was talking on his cellphone.
    Daniel McFadin, Arkansas Online, 27 Aug. 2026
  • Maybe a family watches a favorite performer together, while nearby strangers start talking because someone forgot sunscreen and their friend packed enough for six people.
    Svetlana Khachiyan, USA Today, 27 Aug. 2026

Browse Nearby Words

Podcast

Cite this Entry

“Expatiate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/expatiate. Accessed 28 Aug. 2026.

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