expandverb [ I or T ]
uk/ɪkˈspænd/us/ɪkˈspænd/B2 to increase in size, number, or importance, or to make something increase in this way:
The air in the balloon expands when heated.
They expanded their retail operations during the 1980s.
More examples
- I don't think we should expand our business in the current economic climate.
- In their second album, the band tried to expand their stylistic range.
- The college is not able to expand because of restrictive planning laws.
- Their economy has expanded enormously, while ours, by contrast, has declined.
- In their efforts to reduce crime the government expanded the police force.
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
Enlarging and inflating
- balloon
- bloat
- blow
- blow sth up
- blow up
- broaden
- build (sb/sth) up
- deepen
- dilate
- engorged
- enlarge
- flare
- fluff sth up
- inflate
- lengthen
- magnification
- puff
- scale sth up
- stretch
- widen
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You can also find related words, phrases, and synonyms in the topics:
Increasing and intensifying
Phrasal verb(s)
expand on sth