expansive

adjective

ex·pan·sive ik-ˈspan(t)-siv

Synonyms of expansive

: having a capacity or a tendency to expand

: causing or tending to cause expansion

: characterized by high spirits, generosity, or readiness to talk : open

They grew expansive after dinner.

: marked by or indicative of exaggerated euphoria and delusions of self-importance

an expansive patient

: marked by expansion

especially : having a great expanse or extent : sizable, extensive

an expansive interpretation of the law

: characterized by richness, abundance, or magnificence

expansive living

expansive taste

expansively adverb

expansiveness noun

Examples of expansive in a Sentence

He was unusually expansive at the press conference. She was in an expansive mood. The law was expansive in its scope. a more expansive treatment of the topic the hotel's expansive dining room The house has expansive views of the valley.

Recent Examples on the Web

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

The resulting low-slung structure is clad in understated materials, with a sloping bronze-colored roof, stone chimney, expansive glazing, and teak siding. — David Foxley, Architectural Digest, 27 Aug. 2026 Eleven million sales in America, countless radio spins and nearly a billion Spotify streams, and the copyright is Parton’s alone, bringing in millions of dollars on its own as a sizable piece of the icon’s expansive business empire. — Ethan Millman, HollywoodReporter, 27 Aug. 2026 In response to our distressing new reality, DuVernay has created a thrillingly expansive sequel of sorts, which passionately and persuasively details how the tenets of the 14th Amendment, ratified post–Civil War, are now under systematic attack. — Kate Erbland, IndieWire, 27 Aug. 2026 Exploring those possible futures requires tracking an entirely different mathematical object — an arrow known as a vector, one oriented in an expansive, alien domain. — Quanta Magazine, 26 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for expansive

Word History

First Known Use

1651, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler

The first known use of expansive was in 1651

See more words from the same year

Cite this Entry

Style

“Expansive.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/expansive. Accessed 1 Sep. 2026.

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Kids Definition

expansive

adjective

ex·pan·sive ik-ˈspan(t)-siv

: having a capacity or a tendency to expand

gases are expansive

: causing or tending to cause expansion

an expansive force

: being in a good or talkative mood

: having considerable extent : broad

expansively adverb

expansiveness noun

Medical Definition

expansive

adjective

ex·pan·sive ik-ˈspan(t)-siv

: marked by or indicative of exaggerated euphoria and delusions of self-importance

a patient with expansive trends

expansiveness

-nəs

noun

expansive

adjective

Synonyms of expansive

Examples of expansive in a Sentence

Word History

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Cite this Entry

Kids Definition

Medical Definition

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