expanding

present participle of expand
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as in extending
to arrange the parts of (something) over a wider area a spare leaf for those times when we have to expand the dining table to accommodate extra guests

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of expanding Bars are adapting too, expanding mocktail and non-alcoholic beer menus and layering in food and activity nights. Hanna Wickes, Kansas City Star, 6 July 2026 This matters because enforcement is expanding faster than governance. John Calabrese, The Conversation, 6 July 2026 Building new power plants, expanding grids, and permitting infrastructure takes years, often decades. Kathleen “katie” McGinty, Fortune, 6 July 2026 Any concerns that expanding the tournament to forty-eight teams would bring lopsided outcomes evaporated as underdog nations defied betting odds again and again. Albert Samaha, New Yorker, 6 July 2026 The mission won't just hunt for aliens, but rather explore these habitable planets and their atmospheres, expanding our understanding of other worlds while also being used for a variety of astronomical purposes. Chelsea Gohd, Space.com, 6 July 2026 The announcement comes as technology companies continue searching for reliable, around-the-clock electricity to support rapidly expanding computing infrastructure. Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 6 July 2026 The 585-acre neighborhood contains 5 million square feet of office space, including 250,000 square feet of medical offices where John Muir Health has been expanding. George Avalos, Mercury News, 6 July 2026 By expanding in Houston suburbs and the Rio Grande Valley, Sam’s Club is intensifying competition with Costco, BJ’s and local grocers for membership dollars. Mateo Rosiles, USA Today, 6 July 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for expanding
Verb
  • Proxima is developing stellarator technology, one of a handful of approaches to fusion, and hopes to have its fusion demonstrator — a proof-of-concept precursor to a commercial power plant — up and running in the early 2030s.
    Kai Nicol-Schwarz, CNBC, 7 July 2026
  • Genetics also appears to play a significant role, as women who have a close relative with endometriosis face a substantially higher risk of developing the condition themselves.
    Daryl Austin, USA Today, 7 July 2026
Verb
  • As summer arrives, snow begins melting, ice hardens and rocks loosen, increasing the risk of falls and rockfall.
    Jasmine Baehr, FOXNews.com, 2 July 2026
  • When patients can’t pay, hospitals absorb the costs and pass them onto people with insurance by increasing prices, studies show.
    Alana Semuels, Time, 1 July 2026
Verb
  • Gilles Pélisson has been unanimously reelected as president of Unifrance for a second three-year term, extending his mandate at the helm of the French film and TV promotion body.
    Elsa Keslassy, Variety, 3 July 2026
  • Advertisements extending beyond traditional commercial breaks to include live presenter endorsements and real-time odds promotions have sparked a fresh wave of indignation, with politicians across the political spectrum calling for tighter controls.
    ABC News, ABC News, 3 July 2026
Verb
  • And each time another first-time climber reaches the top, the applause rising from the rocks below suggests that, little by little, that community is growing.
    ABC News, ABC News, 5 July 2026
  • Practices are seeing rising amputations, and hospitalizations are surging.
    Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 5 July 2026
Verb
  • The financial struggles led to them not being able to pay vendors, which led key brands to stop sending the retailers products to sell, further accelerating its decline.
    Jeremy Repanich, Robb Report, 30 June 2026
  • The move comes amid rising demand for local asset servicing, with Saudi Arabia accelerating the development of its capital markets as part of its Vision 2030 agenda.
    Melissa Hancock, Fortune, 30 June 2026
Verb
  • The main level features a large great room framed by floor-to-ceiling glass and retractable doors opening directly to the terrace and lake.
    Colson Thayer, PEOPLE, 2 July 2026
  • Months after opening a $267 million replacement next door, Miami-Dade has struggled to find a buyer for the one built nearly 100 years ago.
    Douglas Hanks, Miami Herald, 1 July 2026
Verb
  • However, due to swelling, Lasko still doesn’t have feeling in his lower half just yet.
    Scott Thompson, FOXNews.com, 3 July 2026
  • The pair were pushed into the body wherever swelling threatened a patient’s health, or exploration of an inner cavity was warranted.
    Katherine Ott, The Conversation, 2 July 2026
Verb
  • The real value of AI lies in augmenting the capacity of intellectually curious people with specialized training, sound judgment, and genuine human empathy.
    Wayne Berson, Fortune, 30 June 2026
  • The technology is designed to act as a co-pilot, augmenting rather than replacing the training, professionalism and instinct of experienced emergency personnel.
    Alison Coleman, Forbes.com, 21 June 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Expanding.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/expanding. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

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