extent

noun

ik-ˈstent How to pronounce extent (audio)
Definition of extentnext
1
as in limit
a real or imaginary point beyond which a person or thing cannot go the coach exceeded the extent of his authority by exempting some of the players from the requirement

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance
2
as in expansion
a wide space or area the seemingly endless extent of the windswept prairies

Synonyms & Similar Words
3
as in scope
an area over which activity, capacity, or influence extends the extent of this criminal investigation has widened considerably since it began

Synonyms & Similar Words
4
as in size
the total amount of measurable space or surface occupied by something looking at the extent of the stain on my shirt, you might think that I had spilled a gallon of coffee

Synonyms & Similar Words

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 extent The game is obsessed by money to the extent some fans appear more interested these days in what happens in the transfer window than on the pitch. — James Horncastle, New York Times, 30 July 2026 Analysts used imagery from the Copernicus Sentinel-2 satellites to verify signs of the strikes on the data centers but were unable to determine the extent of the damage, according to Bloomberg News. — Jeremy Hsu, ArsTechnica, 30 July 2026 Over the next several weeks, duelling experts will testify to Clancy’s mental state, and the prosecution will cast doubt on the extent of her illness. — Eren Orbey, New Yorker, 30 July 2026 Autopsy details, however, revealed the extent of the violence perpetrated by Kohberger. — Britt Hayes, Entertainment Weekly, 30 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for extent
Recent Examples of Synonyms for extent
  1. limit
  2. expansion
  3. scope
  4. size
  5. limitation
  6. expanse
  7. realm
  8. dimension
Noun
  • If someone expects too much, don’t soothe the tension by abandoning your limit.
    — Tarot.com, The Orlando Sentinel, 27 July 2026
  • Choose one practical repair, one honest conversation, or one limit that makes home more livable.
    — Tarot.com, Chicago Tribune, 26 July 2026
Definition of limit
Noun
  • The final day of the month sees Jupiter (the planet of good luck and expansion) in Leo making a harmonious trine to Saturn (the planet of discipline and structure) in Aries.
    — Meghan Rose, Glamour, 1 Aug. 2026
  • Billionaires buying up South Florida real estate, corporate expansions and a widening gulf between luxury and everyday home prices are changing Miami-Dade’s economic landscape.
    — Jeff Kleinman, Miami Herald, 31 July 2026
Definition of expansion
Noun
  • When work began last summer on the new westside I-285/I-20 interchange, Johnson thought his neighborhood fell in the project’s scope.
    — Doug Turnbull, AJC.com, 26 July 2026
  • Her job, as a senior health-policy official on the White House Domestic Policy Council, is to convert the president’s priorities into the scope and language of documents that will advance the White House’s agenda.
    — Michael Scherer, The Atlantic, 24 July 2026
Definition of scope
Noun
  • In terms of accuracy, the edge would still go to Hoover based on a small sample size in spring camp.
    — Steven Johnson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 28 July 2026
  • The pipe is 4 feet by 6 feet in size, according to court documents.
    — Zuri Primos July 27, Kansas City Star, 27 July 2026
Definition of size
Noun
  • Two sources familiar with the matter told CNN over the weekend the uranium enrichment provision includes stipulations imposed by the US, but details of potential limitations are unclear.
    — Arpita Dasika, CNN Money, 22 July 2026
  • Its attendance is capped at around 160,000 due to capacity limitations, which also limit the number of exhibitors in the 600,000 square foot exhibit hall.
    — Rob Salkowitz, Forbes.com, 21 July 2026
Definition of limitation
Noun
  • Russia has the world’s largest expanse of wetlands, making the possible impact of its nonparticipation considerable.
    — Encyclopedia Britannica, Encyclopedia Britannica, 24 July 2026
  • Temescal Gateway Park is a 141-acre expanse in Pacific Palisades that features a babbling brook, oak and sycamore canyons and trails that zigzag up the mountains, providing views of the Pacific Ocean and its coastline.
    — Jaclyn Cosgrove, Los Angeles Times, 23 July 2026
Definition of expanse
Noun
  • Ackman has become more ideological, expanding his crusades into cultural and academic realms.
    — Jeff John Roberts, Fortune, 20 July 2026
  • Though the song is heavily acoustic, its distorted guitar solos hail squarely from the realm of harder rock, and the artificial choirs that seep in toward the end seem to call out to the symphonic citadels of the Norwegian black metallers.
    — Sam Goldner, Pitchfork, 19 July 2026
Definition of realm
Noun
  • Those capabilities develop through sustained investment in the cognitive and psychological dimensions of leadership—an investment most organizations classify as optional, or defer in favor of more measurable training outputs.
    — Cindy Rodriguez Constable, Forbes.com, 1 Aug. 2026
  • During the crossover, the main continuity’s Spider-Man teamed up with another dimension’s Spidey — Miles Morales — who then ended up moving to the main Marvel universe in the event’s aftermath.
    — Tracy Brown, Los Angeles Times, 31 July 2026
Definition of dimension

Browse Nearby Words

extensiveness
extent
extents
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Extent.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/extent. Accessed 1 Aug. 2026.

Copy Citation

More from Merriam-Webster on extent

Nglish: Translation of extent for Spanish Speakers

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of spindrift

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

Why does English have so many silent letters?

Your vs. You're: How to Use Them Correctly
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

Dutch Treat and French Leave: Eight Place-Based Compounds

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Longest Long Words List

The Words of the Week - Jul. 31

Even More Bird Names that Sound Like Insults (and Sometimes Are)
See More

Popular

See More

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words

Dutch Treat and French Leave: Eight Place-Based Compounds

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
asap street sign
Figure Out These Acronyms ASAP You don't have to be a NASA engineer to get these...
See All