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
The world's largest whale graveyard has been discovered at the bottom of the Indian Ocean by Chinese scientists, who found that the vast expanse of both new and ancient carcasses supports huge communities of deep-sea life.
—
CBS News, 10 June 2026
The Okefenokee swamp's prairies are vast, watery expanses dotted with floating islands and stands of cypress and other trees.
—Aj Willingham, AJC.com, 9 June 2026
Just over twenty years ago, in April 2006, British media gave generous space to film and photographs of a sled hauled over a vast expanse of snow by a team of six huskies.
—Fintan O’Toole, The New York Review of Books, 9 June 2026
The architects varied the floor planes and ceiling heights inside to help define spaces in lieu of walls, maintaining views of the panorama through expanses of floor-to-ceiling glass shaded by broad hemlock eaves.
—Fred Albert, Forbes.com, 6 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for expanse
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CBS News, 10 June 2026
The Okefenokee swamp's prairies are vast, watery expanses dotted with floating islands and stands of cypress and other trees.
—Aj Willingham, AJC.com, 9 June 2026
Just over twenty years ago, in April 2006, British media gave generous space to film and photographs of a sled hauled over a vast expanse of snow by a team of six huskies.
—Fintan O’Toole, The New York Review of Books, 9 June 2026
The architects varied the floor planes and ceiling heights inside to help define spaces in lieu of walls, maintaining views of the panorama through expanses of floor-to-ceiling glass shaded by broad hemlock eaves.
—Fred Albert, Forbes.com, 6 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for expanse
Cite this Entry
“Expanse.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/expanse. Accessed 18 Jun. 2026.
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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