Synonyms of expansion
1
2
: the act or process of expanding
territorial expansion
economic expansion
expansion of the universe
3
: the quality or state of being expanded
4
: the increase in volume of working fluid (such as steam) in an engine cylinder after cutoff or in an internal combustion engine after explosion
5
a
: an expanded part
b
: something that results from an act of expanding
The book is an expansion of a lecture series.
6
: the result of carrying out an indicated mathematical operation : the expression of a function in the form of a series

Examples of expansion in a Sentence

The league is undergoing expansion. the expansion of a lecture series into a book This book is an expansion of a lecture series.
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 Rzeszów expansion will support the company’s GTF, F135 and F100 engines, according to the latest news release. Maria Mocerino, Interesting Engineering, 6 Sep. 2026 The expansion has also taken longer and cost more than originally planned. Elizabeth Howell, Space.com, 6 Sep. 2026 Now, experts fear a persistent failure is colliding with a rapid expansion of immigration enforcement — one pushed to deliver record numbers of arrests, increasingly aided by state and local police and operating with fewer internal checks. María Luisa Paúl, USA Today, 6 Sep. 2026 Around the same time, ZoomInfo co-founder Kirk Brown’s bid for Portland’s WNBA expansion franchise fell through, and the siblings pounced on the opportunity. Sasha Rogelberg, Fortune, 6 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for expansion

Word History

First Known Use

1611, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of expansion was in 1611

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Expansion.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/expansion. Accessed 7 Sep. 2026.

Kids Definition

expansion

noun
1
: the act of expanding
2
: the state of being expanded
3
: something expanded or a result of expanding
4
: the result of carrying out indicated mathematical operations
the expansion of (a + b)2 is a2 + 2ab + b2

Medical Definition

expansion

noun
1
: the act or process of expanding
2
: the quality or state of being expanded
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