expanded
Americanadjective
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increased in area, bulk, or volume; enlarged.
an expanded version of a story.
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spread out; extended.
the expanded frontiers of the Roman Empire.
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Printing. Also (of type) wider in proportion to its height.
adjective
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Also: extended. (of printer's type) wider than usual for a particular height Compare condensed
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(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.
And as Rollins aged, he would remain a voracious seeker, with interests that expanded into Zen Buddhism, martial arts, Kabbalah, the esoteric 17th-century tradition of Rosicrucianism, reincarnation and Egyptology.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 26, 2026
To the left, his name will be immortalised at Etihad Stadium forever, with the newly expanded north end renamed the 'Pep Guardiola Stand' in his honour.
From BBC • May 24, 2026
The Asian giant has significantly expanded its space programmes over the last 30 years, injecting billions of dollars into the sector in order to catch up with the United States, Russia and Europe.
From Barron's • May 24, 2026
Legal disputes involving student protesters, deportation proceedings and expanded scrutiny of lawful residents have increasingly merged immigration enforcement with broader debates over political speech, due process and constitutional protections.
From Salon • May 24, 2026
The home I’d grown up in had had five bedrooms; now it had been expanded in all directions and looked as though it had at least forty.
From "Educated" by Tara Westover
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.
