expansive
adjective
ex·pan·sive
ik-ˈspan(t)-siv 
1
: having a capacity or a tendency to expand
2
: causing or tending to cause expansion
3
a
: characterized by high spirits, generosity, or readiness to talk : open
They grew expansive after dinner.
b
: marked by or indicative of exaggerated euphoria and delusions of self-importance
an expansive patient
4
5
: characterized by richness, abundance, or magnificence
expansive living
expansive taste
expansively
adverb
expansiveness
noun
Examples of expansive in a Sentence
He was unusually expansive at the press conference.
She was in an expansive mood.
The law was expansive in its scope.
a more expansive treatment of the topic
the hotel's expansive dining room
The house has expansive views of the valley.
Recent Examples on the Web
Florie’s synergistic approach relies on the expansive testing offered by Western medicine while taking patients’ qualitative symptoms into account.
—
Nollyanne Delacruz, Mercury News, 8 Apr. 2026
Through their work, Monáe continues to champion expansive storytelling centered on liberation, identity, and global Black expression.
—Jem Aswad, Variety, 8 Apr. 2026
Have viewers themselves developed a more expansive understanding of who is entitled to be hurt, and can the network resist the impulse to edit around this friction?
—Shamira Ibrahim, HollywoodReporter, 8 Apr. 2026
New York is clearly not built for them, but the city’s expansive flexibility has always been a selling point.
—Rachel Sugar, Curbed, 8 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for expansive
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Nollyanne Delacruz, Mercury News, 8 Apr. 2026
Through their work, Monáe continues to champion expansive storytelling centered on liberation, identity, and global Black expression.
—Jem Aswad, Variety, 8 Apr. 2026
Have viewers themselves developed a more expansive understanding of who is entitled to be hurt, and can the network resist the impulse to edit around this friction?
—Shamira Ibrahim, HollywoodReporter, 8 Apr. 2026
New York is clearly not built for them, but the city’s expansive flexibility has always been a selling point.
—Rachel Sugar, Curbed, 8 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for expansive
Cite this Entry
“Expansive.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/expansive. Accessed 12 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
expansive
adjective
ex·pan·sive
ik-ˈspan(t)-siv
1
: having a capacity or a tendency to expand
gases are expansive
2
: causing or tending to cause expansion
an expansive force
3
: being in a good or talkative mood
4
: having considerable extent : broad
expansively
adverb
expansiveness
noun
Medical Definition
expansive
adjective
ex·pan·sive
ik-ˈspan(t)-siv
: marked by or indicative of exaggerated euphoria and delusions of self-importance
a patient with expansive trends
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