expanse
noun
ex·panse
ik-ˈspan(t)s 
1
2
: great extent of something spread out
an expanse of calm ocean
Examples of expanse in a Sentence
The explorer gazed across the vast Arctic expanse.
the great explorers who crossed the vast expanses of the seven seas in small ships
Recent Examples on the Web
In addition to its dramatic landscapes with layered rock formations, steep canyons, and towering spires, Badlands National Park protects an expanse of mixed-grass prairie among its 244,000 acres, where bison, bighorn sheep, prairie dogs, and black-footed ferrets live and roam.
—
Dave Parfitt, USA Today, 23 Sep. 2025
The eclipse maximum This magnificent view of the sun's disk was captured minutes after the local eclipse maximum, when 70% of the solar surface surface was hidden by the curving expanse of the moon in the skies above Dunedin in New Zealand.
—Anthony Wood, Space.com, 21 Sep. 2025
On the northern shore, Sarakiniko serves as a particular highlight thanks to its dramatic appearance, with vast expanses of bone-white rock stretching across its shoreline.
—Jared Ranahan, Forbes.com, 18 Sep. 2025
During this epoch, expanses of coastal plains revealed themselves as sea levels dropped by around 330 feet.
—Andrew Paul, Popular Science, 18 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for expanse
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Dave Parfitt, USA Today, 23 Sep. 2025
The eclipse maximum This magnificent view of the sun's disk was captured minutes after the local eclipse maximum, when 70% of the solar surface surface was hidden by the curving expanse of the moon in the skies above Dunedin in New Zealand.
—Anthony Wood, Space.com, 21 Sep. 2025
On the northern shore, Sarakiniko serves as a particular highlight thanks to its dramatic appearance, with vast expanses of bone-white rock stretching across its shoreline.
—Jared Ranahan, Forbes.com, 18 Sep. 2025
During this epoch, expanses of coastal plains revealed themselves as sea levels dropped by around 330 feet.
—Andrew Paul, Popular Science, 18 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for expanse
Cite this Entry
“Expanse.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/expanse. Accessed 23 Sep. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
expanse
noun
ex·panse
ik-ˈspan(t)s
: a wide space, area, or stretch
the vast expanse of the ocean
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