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
One was the mighty Virgo Cluster, whose member galaxies had never been seen so clearly across such a wide expanse of space, and with 10 million faint galaxies in the background to boot.
—
Keith Cooper, Space.com, 28 Dec. 2025
Visiting this part of the island isn’t for the faint of heart, with a rugged coastline, crashing waves and a truly wild expanse.
—Nora Heston Tarte, Mercury News, 25 Dec. 2025
In one image—a favorite of mine—a man lies on an expanse of sand, cradling a smiling child, whose drool is pooling on the man’s shirtless chest.
—Chris Wiley, New Yorker, 20 Dec. 2025
European-style squares, by contrast, are expanses people can walk not just to, but also through and around.
—Jeanne Bonner, CNN Money, 19 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for expanse
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Keith Cooper, Space.com, 28 Dec. 2025
Visiting this part of the island isn’t for the faint of heart, with a rugged coastline, crashing waves and a truly wild expanse.
—Nora Heston Tarte, Mercury News, 25 Dec. 2025
In one image—a favorite of mine—a man lies on an expanse of sand, cradling a smiling child, whose drool is pooling on the man’s shirtless chest.
—Chris Wiley, New Yorker, 20 Dec. 2025
European-style squares, by contrast, are expanses people can walk not just to, but also through and around.
—Jeanne Bonner, CNN Money, 19 Dec. 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 31 Dec. 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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