extent

American  

[ik-stent] / ɪkˈstɛnt /

noun

1. the space or degree to which a thing extends; length, area, volume, or scope.

   the extent of his lands; to be right to a certain extent.

   Synonyms:

   length, reach, stretch, expanse, range, compass, amount, measure, magnitude

2. something extended, as a space; a particular length, area, or volume; something having extension.

   the limitless extent of the skies.

3. U.S. Law. a writ, or a levy, by which a debtor's lands are valued and transferred to the creditor, absolutely or for a term of years.

4. English Law.

   1. Also called writ of extent.  a writ to recover debts of a record due to the crown, under which land, property, etc., may be seized.

   2. a seizure made under such a writ.

5. Logic. extension.

6. Archaic. assessment or valuation, as of land.

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extent British  

/ ɪkˈstɛnt /

noun

1. the range over which something extends; scope

   the extent of the damage

2. an area or volume

   a vast extent of concrete

3. law a writ authorizing a person to whom a debt is due to assume temporary possession of his debtor's lands

4. logic another word for extension

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extent Idioms  

1. see to some degree (extent).

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Usage

What is extent? Extent is the length, area, volume, or scope something reaches to, as in The extent of Sheree’s knowledge of science fiction was very deep. Extent is a very common term that can refer to measurements, concepts, ideals, plans, and many other fields that measure anything, literal or figurative. Extent can also refer to something that has a lengthening, stretching out, or enlarging scope, especially when the boundaries aren’t known. You might hear someone talk about the limitless extent of space, for example. The phrase the extent of means that something has reached the extreme or the border of how far it can go, as in I can raise your allowance by $5, but that’s the extent of what I can do. Example: We know that the pan can get hot, but we are unsure to what extent.

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• preextent
  noun

Etymology

Origin of extent

First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English extente “assessment,” from Medieval Latin extenta, noun use of feminine of Latin extentus “stretched out,” past participle of extendere “to stretch out”; see extend

Explanation

The extent is the area something covers. That could be physical space or something like being prosecuted to the full extent of the law. Use the word extent when you are discussing how far something extends — how far it reaches. If you're an expert, the extent of your knowledge is wide. If you own a lot of property, the extent of your land is huge. The full extent of something is like the limit — that's the end of it. If you've reached the extent of your patience, you're out of patience. If an earthquake destroyed your house, the extent of the damage was severe.

Example Sentences

The 2015 prosecutions of high-ranking soccer officials revealed the extent of corrupt practices relating to the sale of broadcast rights.

From Salon • Jun. 14, 2026

SNP officials say donations have actually grown since the extent of Murrell’s wrongdoing were made clear in court, though opinion polls indicate that support for independence has softened.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 12, 2026

"We find that to some extent, Alzheimer's disease is a little like cancer -- driven by the same mutations that drive blood cancers like lymphoma and leukemia," said Walsh.

From Science Daily • Jun. 12, 2026

Nor does data dependence adequately acknowledge the extent to which the Fed itself shapes economic behavior through interest-rate policy and the management of its balance sheet.

From Barron's • Jun. 12, 2026

After four years of misery and suffering, it is little wonder that people everywhere in Europe hoped and prayed—and to some extent believed—that this would be “the war to end all wars.”

From "The War to End All Wars: World War I" by Russell Freedman

Related Words

• amount
• breadth
• degree
• duration
• expansion
• intensity
• length
• matter
• measure
• quantity
• scope
• size
• term