expand

expand — verb

1. to grow larger in physical size, quantity, or significance; or to cause somethin

1.verbtransitive / intransitiveB1
Definition

to grow larger in physical size, quantity, or significance; or to cause something to become larger or more extensive in any of these ways

Example

As the dough rests in the kitchen, it will expand to about twice its size.

intransitive: physical expansion of materials

Chidi's company expanded its warehouse last year to stock more products from Asia.

transitive: expand a building for more capacity

Common collocations
  • expand rapidly
  • expand significantly
  • expand into new markets
  • expand one's business
  • expand the range
  • expand the scope
Synonyms
  • grow

    suggests a gradual, natural process, often used for living things or organic development

  • enlarge

    focuses on making something physically bigger, especially in visual terms; more concrete than 'expand'

  • increase

    most general term for a rise in number or amount; less spatial than 'expand'

  • extend

    emphasises lengthening in one direction or prolonging in time, rather than spreading outward

Antonyms
  • shrink

    to become smaller in size or amount

  • contract

    to become smaller, often by tightening or drawing in

Grammar Patterns

expand + noun

expand (intransitive)

expand into + noun

expand to + amount

Usage Note

Frequently used with 'into' to indicate new territories or fields (e.g., 'expand into new markets') and with 'to' to specify a new size or scope (e.g., 'expand to 500 employees'). Can be used both transitively (with a direct object) and intransitively (without one). The subject is often a business, organization, population, or physical object.

Common Mistakes

The company expanded good last year.
The company expanded well last year.
'expand' is a verb; it takes an adverb (well), not an adjective (good), to describe how the expansion happened.
The balloon expanded out.
The balloon expanded.
'expand' already includes the idea of growing outward; adding 'out' is redundant.

2. to give more information or further details about something that has been mentio

2.verbintransitiveB2
Definition

to give more information or further details about something that has been mentioned, usually in speech or writing

Example

Could you expand on your proposal for reducing energy costs at the next meeting?

expand on + topic for elaboration

The professor asked Selim to expand his argument in the final chapter of the thesis.

transitive (formal): expand an argument in writing

Common collocations
  • expand on a point
  • expand on an idea
  • expand on the details
  • expand on a comment
Synonyms
  • elaborate

    very similar in meaning but slightly more formal; often used in academic contexts

  • develop

    suggests building an idea step by step, not just adding detail

  • clarify

    focuses on making something easier to understand, not necessarily adding length

Antonyms
  • summarise

    to express the main points briefly without detail

  • condense

    to make shorter by removing details

Grammar Patterns

expand on/upon + noun

expand + noun (formal)

Usage Note

Almost always used with the preposition 'on' or 'upon' to introduce the topic being explained further. The transitive use without a preposition (e.g., 'expand a point') is more formal and mainly appears in academic or professional writing. Common in conversations, lectures, presentations, and journalism.

Common Mistakes

Please expand about your travel plans.
Please expand on your travel plans.
This sense requires 'on' or 'upon', not 'about'.
He expanded the story for ten minutes.
He expanded on the story for ten minutes.
When giving more details, the preposition 'on' is almost always needed.
Phrasal verbs

expand on

phrasal verb

To give more details or information about a topic.

Mina expanded on her idea during the team meeting.

Could you expand on your reasons for leaving?

expand upon

phrasal verb

To provide additional information or explanation about something.

The professor expanded upon the theory in his lecture.

Sara expanded upon her earlier comments in the interview.

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: verb/1

Grow, enlarge, increase, extend, and expand all describe something becoming larger, but each has a different focus. Grow suggests a gradual, natural process — a plant grows, a child grows, a small business grows organically. Enlarge is more physical and visual; you enlarge a photo or enlarge a room by knocking down a wall. Increase is the most general word for a rise in number, amount, or intensity — prices increase, speed increases, pressure increases. Extend emphasises lengthening in one direction or prolonging in time — you extend a deadline, extend a road, extend an arm. Expand is the broadest of the five: it covers physical size (a balloon expands), scale (a company expands into new regions), quantity (the workforce expands), and even abstract scope (her influence expanded). For example, 'The company expanded its operations' suggests growth in reach, output, and influence all at once, which none of the other four words captures on its own.

grow ↗enlarge ↗increase ↗extend ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

Adverbs

Phrases

  • expand one's horizons
  • expand the scope of something
  • expand the range of services

Prepositions

Etymology

LatinFrenchEnglish

Comes from Latin 'expandere', a combination of 'ex-' (meaning 'out') and 'pandere' (meaning 'to spread'). The word entered English in the 15th century through French, originally carrying the sense of 'to spread out flat.' Over the centuries its meaning broadened from physically spreading something open to the modern sense of increasing in any dimension — size, number, detail, or influence.