expand
verb (used with object)
to increase in extent, size, volume, scope, etc..
were expanding
-
past progressiveof expand.past progressive
Used to describe an ongoing action or continuous state that was happening at a specific time in the past.
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.
We can measure it, and if the planet itself were expanding, that surface area would increase over time.
From Science Daily ● Sep. 28, 2026
Tests to improve food quality were expanding, though more work was still needed, people familiar with the company’s affairs said.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 12, 2026
On Saturday afternoon, Carney gave a speech at Trinity College, where he said that global conflicts were expanding and evolving, and Canada, Ireland, and Europe were "increasingly and immediately vulnerable to once-distant threats".
From BBC ● Jun. 13, 2026
An AFP investigation on Tuesday found that scam centers in neighboring Myanmar were expanding rapidly just months after a crackdown there.
From Barron's ● Oct. 14, 2025
The growing number of mills and factories changed the landscape as well; towns and cities were expanding, as was the division between rich and poor.
From "Charles and Emma: The Darwins' Leap of Faith" by Deborah Heiligman
