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
From the open expanses of the Lake District to the rugged terrain of the Scottish Highlands via Wales’s peaks, there is no shortage of places to work up a sweat, al fresco, across the UK.
—
Connor Sturges, Condé Nast Traveler, 18 Mar. 2026
That expanse of floor space is more than seven Lenox Square malls or nearly twice the footprint of the Pentagon.
—Zachary Hansen, AJC.com, 13 Mar. 2026
After Trump decided earlier this year to endorse Representative Julia Letlow in that primary, Miguez pivoted to run for Letlow’s open congressional seat, a rural expanse that wraps the state’s border with Mississippi, which is about 40 miles from the parish where Miguez has long lived.
—Michael Scherer, The Atlantic, 11 Mar. 2026
In his score, Wagner manipulates space and scale, suggesting intimate chambers and vast expanses of the North Atlantic with innumerable shadings of orchestration.
—Justin Davidson, Vulture, 11 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for expanse
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Connor Sturges, Condé Nast Traveler, 18 Mar. 2026
That expanse of floor space is more than seven Lenox Square malls or nearly twice the footprint of the Pentagon.
—Zachary Hansen, AJC.com, 13 Mar. 2026
After Trump decided earlier this year to endorse Representative Julia Letlow in that primary, Miguez pivoted to run for Letlow’s open congressional seat, a rural expanse that wraps the state’s border with Mississippi, which is about 40 miles from the parish where Miguez has long lived.
—Michael Scherer, The Atlantic, 11 Mar. 2026
In his score, Wagner manipulates space and scale, suggesting intimate chambers and vast expanses of the North Atlantic with innumerable shadings of orchestration.
—Justin Davidson, Vulture, 11 Mar. 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 20 Mar. 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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