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.

---

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

---

extent Idioms  

1. see to some degree (extent).

---

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

• 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”; extend

Example Sentences

In a statement, a sheriff’s spokesperson maintained the department was complying with Cal/OSHA to the extent allowed under the law as other investigations remain ongoing.

From Los Angeles Times

Much depends on how long the Strait of Hormuz is closed to oil and gas shipments and the extent of damage to energy infrastructure.

From The Wall Street Journal

“Input prices rose to the greatest extent in over a year-and-a-half, leading firms to raise their charges at a quicker pace as they sought to protect their margins,” she said.

From The Wall Street Journal

In his seminal work External link on the impact of automation on jobs, MIT economist David Autor noted the tendency of headlines to overstate the extent of job losses from new technology.

From Barron's

To the extent more stock trading moves from traditional markets to the blockchain, traditional firms could also see their profits erode.

From Barron's

Related Words

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