expound
Americanverb (used with object)
-
to set forth or state in detail.
to expound theories.
-
to explain; interpret.
verb (used without object)
verb
Usage
What are other ways to say expound? To expound something is to set it forth or state it in detail. How does expound differ from elucidate, explain, and interpret? Find out on Thesaurus.com.
Other Word Forms
- expounder noun
- preexpound verb (used with object)
- unexpounded adjective
Etymology
Origin of expound
First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English expounen, expounden, from Old French espondre, from Latin expōnere “to put out, set forth, explain,” equivalent to ex- ex- 1 + pōnere “to put”
Explanation
If your grandmother's handwritten pie recipe calls for "some sugar," "plenty of butter," and "sliced apples," you might ask her to expound by adding measurements of how much of each to use. When you expound, you explain or provide details. Expound came into English from a 14th-century French word espondre meaning "to elaborate" or "put forth." Often when you expound something you are clarifying or giving the particulars. A more formal way to expound is to offer exposition, often going line by line to explain precise meanings in a text or legal document.
Vocabulary lists containing expound
To Kill a Mockingbird
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Animal Farm
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"To Kill a Mockingbird" by Harper Lee, Chapters 1–6
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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.
It is common for justices to spar in their written opinions, and they sometimes expound on their legal disagreements in speeches or interviews.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 15, 2026
Pressed by show host Amy Goodman to expound, Coogler chuckled: “Um, I’d rather not say. But the attention on this project outside of a piece of art or commerce has been interesting.”
From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 12, 2026
“The Rip” is consumed by the need to expound and interpret its own narrative at every turn.
From Salon • Jan. 25, 2026
The company is set to expound on the results at Qubits 2026, a two-day conference at the end of January.
From Barron's • Jan. 6, 2026
I had to stop for a second, to expound a little, because I knew a lot about butterflies.
From "Red Kayak" by Priscilla Cummings
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.
