westward expansion

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noun

The 19th-century movement of settlers, agriculture, and industry that led to the acquisition and settlement of territory across the United States, primarily in the lands west of the Mississippi River.

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

In a joint exhibition titled “A Nation of Artists,” they explore the subject using similar themes—like labor, westward expansion and global exchange—but different approaches.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 5, 2026

The United States in particular tied its burgeoning national identity and westward expansion to the settlement and acquisition of cattle-ranching lands.

From Salon ● Oct. 28, 2024

Thesaurus

Possible Synonyms

the settling of the West
American progress
American frontier settlement
the push west
continental expansion

Possible Antonyms

Words in our thesaurus

other words

urban concentration
eastern focus
reverse migration