Synonyms

extend

American

[ik-stend] / ɪkˈstɛnd /

verb (used with object)

to stretch out; draw out to the full length.

He extended the measuring tape as far as it would go.

Antonyms:

contract, shorten
to stretch, draw, or arrange in a given direction, or so as to reach a particular point, as a cord, wall, or line of troops.
to stretch forth or hold out, as the arm or hand.

to extend one's hand in greeting.
to place at full length, especially horizontally, as the body or limbs.
to increase the length or duration of; lengthen; prolong.

to extend a visit.

Synonyms:

continue
to stretch out in various or all directions; expand; spread out in area.

A huge tent was extended over the field.

Synonyms:

dilate, widen, enlarge
to enlarge the scope of, or make more comprehensive, as operations, influence, or meaning.

The European powers extended their authority in Asia.
to provide as an offer or grant; offer; grant; give.

to extend aid to needy scholars.

Synonyms:

impart, bestow
Finance. to postpone (the payment of a debt) beyond the time originally agreed upon.
to increase the bulk or volume of, especially by adding an inexpensive or plentiful substance.
Bookkeeping. to transfer (figures) from one column to another.
Law.
1. British. to assess or value.
2. to make a seizure or levy upon, as land, by a writ of extent.
Manège. to bring (a horse) into an extended attitude.
to exert (oneself ) to an unusual degree.
Archaic. to exaggerate.
Obsolete. to take by seizure.

verb (used without object)

to be or become extended; stretch out in length, duration, or in various or all directions.
to reach, as to a particular point.
to increase in length, area, scope, etc.
Manège. (of a horse) to come into an extended attitude.

extend British

/ ɪkˈstɛnd /

verb

to draw out or be drawn out; stretch
to last for a certain time

his schooling extended for three years
(intr) to reach a certain point in time or distance

the land extends five miles
(intr) to exist or occur

the trees extended throughout the area
(tr) to increase (a building, etc) in size or area; add to or enlarge
(tr) to broaden the meaning or scope of

the law was extended
(tr) to put forth, present, or offer

to extend greetings
to stretch forth (an arm, etc)
(tr) to lay out (a body) at full length
(tr) to strain or exert (a person or animal) to the maximum
(tr) to prolong (the time originally set) for payment of (a debt or loan), completion of (a task), etc
(tr) accounting
1. to carry forward
2. to calculate the amount of (a total, balance, etc)
(tr) law (formerly in England) to value or assess (land)

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Synonym Usage

See lengthen.

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

Inflected Forms

Participles

Conjugated Forms

Present

Past

Future

Etymology

Origin of extend

First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English extenden, from Latin extendere “to stretch out.” See ex- ¹, tend ¹

Explanation

The verb extend can have several related meanings, including thrust out, continue, broaden, expand, unfold, span, or increase in scope. Extend, as a verb, is used in many ways. You extend (hold out) your hand when you offer to shake. You extend (push forward) a deadline when you add a few days to it. Your belly might extend (broaden) after a holiday dinner. A telescope extends (expands) your range of vision. If the list of definitions for extend were infinite, you could extend (add to) that list forever and ever. But your patience might not extend that far.

Keep Reading on Vocabulary.com

Vocabulary lists containing extend

19th Amendment (1920)

Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!

100 SAT Words Beginning with "E"

Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!

Beowulf vocabulary

Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

See Examples For:

extend extends extended extending

"We want to give customers practical ways to extend the life of the clothes they already love, rather than simply replacing them," says Uniqlo's head of sustainability, Maria Ledous.

From BBC ● Oct. 30, 2026

The troubles in the PC market likely extend beyond Intel.

From MarketWatch ● Oct. 30, 2026

To extend the horror-movie metaphors even further, Trump is such a crude cartoon character that if he isn’t the Terrifier then maybe he’s Pinhead from “Hellraiser.”

From Salon ● Oct. 30, 2026

Paturi: These breakthroughs extend the frontier of research, but I believe shaping that frontier and moving it forward remain within human capacity and creativity.

From Barron's ● Oct. 30, 2026

Among other things, he tried to extend Catholic influence over the University of Cambridge.

From "The Scientists" by John Gribbin

And it is not clear how far Kabila's national reach extends.

From BBC ● Oct. 31, 2026

And economists have shown that continued immigration mitigates inflation and extends the solvency of Social Security and Medicare funds.

From Salon ● Oct. 30, 2026

The divide AI has created in higher education extends beyond teaching and research.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 29, 2026

The problem extends far beyond Afghanistan, he said.

From Barron's ● Oct. 29, 2026

Lala kicks a lever, unleashing a ramp that extends from the body of the ship to the ground.

From "Kwame Crashes the Underworld" by Craig Kofi Farmer

By then Doheny had extended his petro-empire to the Teapot Dome federal lands in Wyoming.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 30, 2026

She was born in St Paul's in 1994 and grew up in Bristol with her Swedish mother, Sadie, younger brother Omar and extended family.

From BBC ● Oct. 30, 2026

A lovable champion celebrates a first-ever World Series title as the sport girds for an extended, soul-sucking lockout.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 30, 2026

PC revenue also surprisingly declined in the September quarter, helping send shares down more than 20% in extended trading Thursday following Intel’s earnings release.

From MarketWatch ● Oct. 29, 2026

When they were finally fully extended Jeremy felt a surge of triumph so strong it was almost as if he had managed to pump up the wings himself.

From "Jeremy Thatcher, Dragon Hatcher" by Bruce Coville

They argue the Budget contained voter-friendly measures on the cost of living, such as £100 help for many with energy bills and extending VAT cuts on electricity bills.

From BBC ● Oct. 31, 2026

"Joining Cadillac from day one was a project I truly believed in, and extending my commitment feels like a natural continuation of this chapter," said Perez.

From BBC ● Oct. 28, 2026

Microsoft said Monday it was extending buyout offers to a swath of its workforce.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 28, 2026

The glass-lined living spaces connect to the balcony, extending the home’s entertaining options outdoors.

From MarketWatch ● Oct. 26, 2026

“We were glad to help,” Officer Lopez said, extending her hand to Mamá and then giving her a small, friendly hug.

From "Summer of the Mariposas" by Guadalupe García McCall

Random Word

Spin the wheel and learn a new word!

Get a word

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023