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Synonyms

extend

American

[ik-stend] / ɪkˈstɛnd /

verb (used with object)

to stretch out; draw out to the full length.

He extended the measuring tape as far as it would go.

Antonyms:

contract, shorten
to stretch, draw, or arrange in a given direction, or so as to reach a particular point, as a cord, wall, or line of troops.
to stretch forth or hold out, as the arm or hand.

to extend one's hand in greeting.
to place at full length, especially horizontally, as the body or limbs.
to increase the length or duration of; lengthen; prolong.

to extend a visit.

Synonyms:

continue
to stretch out in various or all directions; expand; spread out in area.

A huge tent was extended over the field.

Synonyms:

dilate, widen, enlarge
to enlarge the scope of, or make more comprehensive, as operations, influence, or meaning.

The European powers extended their authority in Asia.
to provide as an offer or grant; offer; grant; give.

to extend aid to needy scholars.

Synonyms:

impart, bestow
Finance. to postpone (the payment of a debt) beyond the time originally agreed upon.
to increase the bulk or volume of, especially by adding an inexpensive or plentiful substance.
Bookkeeping. to transfer (figures) from one column to another.
Law.
1. British. to assess or value.
2. to make a seizure or levy upon, as land, by a writ of extent.
Manège. to bring (a horse) into an extended attitude.
to exert (oneself ) to an unusual degree.
Archaic. to exaggerate.
Obsolete. to take by seizure.

verb (used without object)

to be or become extended; stretch out in length, duration, or in various or all directions.
to reach, as to a particular point.
to increase in length, area, scope, etc.
Manège. (of a horse) to come into an extended attitude.

extend British

/ ɪkˈstɛnd /

verb

to draw out or be drawn out; stretch
to last for a certain time

his schooling extended for three years
(intr) to reach a certain point in time or distance

the land extends five miles
(intr) to exist or occur

the trees extended throughout the area
(tr) to increase (a building, etc) in size or area; add to or enlarge
(tr) to broaden the meaning or scope of

the law was extended
(tr) to put forth, present, or offer

to extend greetings
to stretch forth (an arm, etc)
(tr) to lay out (a body) at full length
(tr) to strain or exert (a person or animal) to the maximum
(tr) to prolong (the time originally set) for payment of (a debt or loan), completion of (a task), etc
(tr) accounting
1. to carry forward
2. to calculate the amount of (a total, balance, etc)
(tr) law (formerly in England) to value or assess (land)

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Synonym Usage

See lengthen.

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

Inflected Forms

Participles

Conjugated Forms

Present

Past

Future

Etymology

Origin of extend

First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English extenden, from Latin extendere “to stretch out.” See ex- ¹, tend ¹

Explanation

The verb extend can have several related meanings, including thrust out, continue, broaden, expand, unfold, span, or increase in scope. Extend, as a verb, is used in many ways. You extend (hold out) your hand when you offer to shake. You extend (push forward) a deadline when you add a few days to it. Your belly might extend (broaden) after a holiday dinner. A telescope extends (expands) your range of vision. If the list of definitions for extend were infinite, you could extend (add to) that list forever and ever. But your patience might not extend that far.

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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.

See Examples For:

extend extends extended extending

The consequences extend beyond the frozen ocean itself.

From Science Daily ● Sep. 14, 2026

Some student halls might already include insurance, or your parents' policy might extend to you.

From BBC ● Sep. 13, 2026

Europe had come into the afternoon session with all the momentum, looking to extend an advantage of 7-5 after a tense morning of foursomes.

From Barron's ● Sep. 12, 2026

A rate hike, coupled with a hawkish message — or guidance pointing to a faster pace of tightening—could extend the yen’s rally and increase the risk of a broader unwind in yen-funded positions.

From MarketWatch ● Sep. 11, 2026

The fools themselves seemed uncommonly lucky, but how far did that luck extend?

From Anya and the Dragon by Sofiya Pasternack

Top of the list, Royal Bank said, is an opaque and shifting regulatory system that extends times and increases capital costs.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 11, 2026

Hitschler’s emphasis on attacking extends to the secondary.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 4, 2026

"We are clear that the Falkland Islanders' right of self-determination extends to the right to exploit their own natural resources," it said.

From BBC ● Sep. 4, 2026

Observations also show that it extends through several layers of the atmosphere, meaning it is not simply a pattern visible at the cloud tops.

From Science Daily ● Sep. 3, 2026

Bren makes a fist, taps his chest, and extends his arm to fist-bump me.

From "The Epic Fail of Arturo Zamora" by Pablo Cartaya

Jones said that the impact of such wildfires extended far beyond biodiversity loss.

From BBC ● Sep. 13, 2026

She extended clinic hours to welcome parents with non-traditional work hours.

From Salon ● Sep. 12, 2026

Today, Carter is simply family, part of the Smiths’ extended clan.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 11, 2026

“We expect another hike in December, before an extended hold in mildly restrictive territory throughout 2027.”

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 11, 2026

Adult pandas can, and do, climb trees, although it’s mostly panda cubs who spend extended periods of time above the forest floor.

From "Camp Panda" by Catherine Thimmesh

Researchers at the University of California, Berkeley compared semaglutide directly with calorie restriction, one of the best-known interventions for extending lifespan in laboratory animals.

From Science Daily ● Sep. 12, 2026

And in qualifying the difference was a stark 0.314secs, making more likely the prospect of the 66-point gap in the championship between them extending still further on Sunday.

From BBC ● Sep. 12, 2026

For families in which trauma remains unspoken, silence can become a pattern, one that risks extending across generations.

From Slate ● Sep. 11, 2026

Global sea surface temperatures also set a new daily high and tied equal-hottest for August, extending a three-month streak of record-breaking warmth across the world's oceans.

From Barron's ● Sep. 10, 2026

On its back, a grim-looking mustached man in a cowboy hat brandished an old-fashioned blunderbuss, its wide metal mouth extending back over a wooden handle.

From "Dactyl Hill Squad" by Daniel José Older

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023