expanded

UK: /ɪkˈspændɪd/ US: (ik span′did)

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025

ex•pand•ed  (ik span′did), adj. 

1. increased in area, bulk, or volume;
   enlarged:
   an expanded version of a story.
2. spread out;
   extended:
   the expanded frontiers of the Roman Empire.
3. Printing Also, extended. (of type) wider in proportion to its height. Cf. condensed (def. 4).

• 1400–50; late Middle English; see expand, -ed²

ex•pand′ed•ness, n. 

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

expanded / ɪkˈspændɪd/ adjective

1. (of a plastic) having been foamed during manufacture by the introduction of a gas in order to make a light packaging material or heat insulator: expanded polystyrene
   See also expanded metal

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2025

ex•pand /ɪkˈspænd/   v. 

1. to increase in extent, size, scope, or volume: [no object]
   The balloon expanded until it burst.
   [~ + object]
   The heat expanded the metal.
2. to stretch out;
   spread (out): [no object]
   The snake expanded to its full length.
   [~ + object]
   A bird expands its wings.
3. to express more fully or in greater detail;
   develop: [~ + object]
   The writer expanded her story into a novel.
   [~ + upon/on + object]
   The writer expanded on her story and wrote a full-fledged novel.

ex•pand•a•bil•i•ty, ex•pand•i•bil•i•ty, n. [uncountable]
ex•pand•a•ble, ex•pand•i•ble, adj. See -pand-.

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025

ex•pand  (ik spand′), v.t. 

1. to increase in extent, size, volume, scope, etc.:
   Heat expands most metals. He hopes to expand his company.
2. to spread or stretch out;
   unfold:
   A bird expands its wings.
3. to express in fuller form or greater detail;
   develop:
   to expand a short story into a novel.
4. Mathematics
   • to write (a mathematical expression) so as to show the products of its factors. Cf. factor (def. 10).
   • to rewrite (a mathematical expression) as a sum, product, etc., of terms of a particular kind:
     to expand a function in a power series.

v.i. 

5. to increase or grow in extent, bulk, scope, etc.:
   Most metals expand with heat. The mind expands with experience.
6. to spread out;
   unfold;
   develop:
   The buds had not yet expanded.
7. to express something more fully or in greater detail (usually fol. by on or upon):
   to expand on a statement.

• Latin expandere to spread out, equivalent. to ex- ex-¹ + pandere to extend, stretch
• late Middle English expanden 1400–50

ex•pand′a•ble, ex•pand′i•ble, adj. 
ex•pand′a•bil′i•ty, ex•pand′i•bil′i•ty, n. 
Synonyms

• 1. extend, swell, enlarge. See increase. 
  Expand, dilate, distend, inflate imply becoming larger and filling more space.
  To expand is to spread out, usually in every direction:
  to expand one's chest.
  To dilate is esp. to increase the width or circumference, and applies to space enclosed within confines or to hollow bodies:
  to dilate the pupils of the eyes.
  To distend is to stretch, often beyond the point of natural expansion:
  to distend an artery.
  To inflate is to blow out or swell a hollow body with air or gas:
  to inflate a balloon.

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

expand / ɪkˈspænd/ verb

1. to make or become greater in extent, volume, size, or scope; increase
2. to spread out or be spread out; unfold; stretch out
3. (intransitive) often followed by on: to enlarge or expatiate on (a story, topic, etc) in detail
4. (intransitive) to become increasingly relaxed, friendly, or talkative
5. to express (a function or expression) as the sum or product of terms

Etymology: 15th Century: from Latin expandere to spread out, from pandere to spread, extend

exˈpandable adjective