expand

American  

[ik-spand] / ɪkˈspænd /

verb (used with object)

expands, present (3rd person singular) expanded, past participle, past expanding present participle

1. to increase in extent, size, volume, scope, etc..

   Heat expands most metals. He hopes to expand his company.

   Synonyms:

   enlarge, swell, extend

2. to spread or stretch out; unfold.

   A bird expands its wings.

3. to express in fuller form or greater detail; develop.

   to expand a short story into a novel.

4. Mathematics.

   1. to write (a mathematical expression) so as to show the products of its factors.

   2. to rewrite (a mathematical expression) as a sum, product, etc., of terms of a particular kind.

      to expand a function in a power series.

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verb (used without object)

expands, present (3rd person singular) expanded, past participle, past expanding present participle

1. to increase or grow in extent, bulk, scope, etc..

   Most metals expand with heat. The mind expands with experience.

2. to spread out; unfold; develop.

   The buds had not yet expanded.

3. to express something more fully or in greater detail (usually followed by on orupon ).

   to expand on a statement.

expand British  

/ ɪkˈspænd /

verb

1. to make or become greater in extent, volume, size, or scope; increase

2. to spread out or be spread out; unfold; stretch out

3. to enlarge or expatiate on (a story, topic, etc) in detail

4. (intr) to become increasingly relaxed, friendly, or talkative

5. maths to express (a function or expression) as the sum or product of terms

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Usage

What does expand mean? To expand is to increase the extent or dimensions of something, as when a balloon expands when you blow air into it. Expand can describe the increasing size of something in height, width, length, scope, boundary, or any other measurable unit of size, as when you expand an app menu by clicking on a down arrow. To expand can also mean to stretch out or unfold, such as when a bird expands its wings when it gets ready to fly. Figuratively, to expand means to develop or to express more fully, as in Disney really expanded the Star Wars universe when it bought the rights to it. A common use of expand is in the phrase expand upon, meaning to give greater detail or context. When teachers tell you to expand upon your essay’s theme, for example, they want you to describe the theme in more detail or give the theme more context so that readers will understand it better. Example: Click and drag the corner of the square to expand it on the digital canvas.

Synonym Usage

Expand, dilate, distend, inflate imply becoming larger and filling more space. To expand is to spread out, usually in every direction: to expand one's chest. To dilate is especially to increase the width or circumference, and applies to space enclosed within confines or to hollow bodies: to dilate the pupils of the eyes. To distend is to stretch, often beyond the point of natural expansion: to distend an artery. To inflate is to blow out or swell a hollow body with air or gas: to inflate a balloon.

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• expandible
  adjective
• expandibility
  noun
• preexpand
  verb (used with object)
• expandable
  adjective
• unexpandable
  adjective
• overexpand
  verb
• unexpanding
  adjective
• self-expanding
  adjective
• expandability
  noun
• nonexpanding
  adjective
• superexpand
  verb
• reexpand
  verb

Conjugated Forms

Present

• has expanded
  perfect 3rd person singular
• have expanded
  perfect
• are expanding
  progressive
• am expanding
  progressive 1st person singular
• expanding
  participle
• is expanding
  progressive 3rd person singular
• have been expanding
  perfect progressive
• expands
  singular 3rd person
• has been expanding
  perfect progressive 3rd person singular

Past

• had expanded
  perfect
• were expanding
  progressive plural
• expanded
  participle
• was expanding
  progressive singular
• expanded
  simple
• had been expanding
  perfect progressive

Future

• will expand
  simple
• will have expanded
  perfect
• will be expanding
  progressive
• will have been expanding
  perfect progressive

Etymology

Origin of expand

First recorded in 1450–1500; late Middle English expanden, from Latin expandere “to spread out,” equivalent to ex- ex- ¹ + pandere “to extend, stretch”

Explanation

The verb expand means to make something bigger or wider. It might refer to something concrete, as when you blow into a balloon and make it expand, or something more abstract, as when you study to expand your mind. Expand is a combination of the Latin words ex-, meaning "out," and pandere, "to spread." The idea of spreading out was always there, though the current idea of something actually becoming larger was first recorded in the mid-17th century. Expand is a versatile word that can refer to anything getting bigger, from a nation's growing influence in a neighboring country to a waistline that needs a larger belt.

Example Sentences

Maria “Lou” Calanche: Calanche is the executive director of the nonprofit Expanded Learning Alliance, or Expand LA, which works to give children greater access to after-school educational programs.

From Los Angeles Times • May 1, 2026

Expand that to the present day, including the era of five subs, and there are 10 players who qualify.

From BBC • Mar. 27, 2026

Expand said it would move its corporate headquarters to Spring, Texas, in mid-2026 to capitalize on Houston’s role as a gateway to the global natural-gas market.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 9, 2026

PE ratios range from 13 times to 30 times to 170 times for Expand, Apple, and Palantir, respectively.

From Barron's • Jan. 27, 2026

“But if I won, I’d change everything. Expand trade south, bring women into the army, open up relations with the Mariners. And I’d—I'd do something about the Scholars.”

From "An Ember in the Ashes" by Sabaa Tahir

Related Words

• bolster
• broaden
• develop
• enlarge
• grow
• increase
• open
• spread
• swell
• widen