expanded
Americanadjective
-
increased in area, bulk, or volume; enlarged.
an expanded version of a story.
-
spread out; extended.
the expanded frontiers of the Roman Empire.
-
Printing. Also (of type) wider in proportion to its height.
adjective
-
Also: extended. (of printer's type) wider than usual for a particular height Compare condensed
-
(of a plastic) having been foamed during manufacture by the introduction of a gas in order to make a light packaging material or heat insulator See also expanded metal
expanded polystyrene
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of expanded
First recorded in 1400–50; late Middle English; expand + -ed 2
Explanation
Something that is expanded has been increased in size. For example, an expanded edition DVD has many more special features than the standard edition. You might prefer the expanded edition of the diary, since it contains all the extra little tidbits they were afraid to include in the original, smaller version. An expanded retail zone will mean more stores with more options. On the other hand it will likely also mean an expanded zone of chaos and cars.
Vocabulary lists containing expanded
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.
They also expanded the program to channel funding in areas like power grids, communications and logistics.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 8, 2026
It comes after a parliamentary panel earlier this year recommended that medically assisted dying - known as Maid in Canada - should not be expanded.
From BBC ● Oct. 7, 2026
Instead of requiring patients to wait while their cells are collected, modified, expanded, and returned, the necessary genetic engineering could potentially happen inside the patient.
From Science Daily ● Oct. 7, 2026
The company was founded by Phil Leslie Jr. and expanded to 1,000 locations across 37 states by 2023.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 7, 2026
I had a deep and appreciative understanding of African-American history, and my faith had evolved and expanded to include the things in life I deemed important and acceptable.
From "Proud" by Ibtihaj Muhammad
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
