expandable

USAGE SUMMARY

It is a correct and usable word in written English.
You can use it when you want to talk about something that can be made bigger or more extensive. Example sentence: This tent is expandable, so it can fit twice as many people.

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Encyclopedias

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

For the waterfront just north of the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge, nArchitects conceived a settlement they called New Aqueous City, situated behind a new archipelago of islets connected by expandable storm-surge barriers (ingeniously expanded by the very water that they subsequently deflect).

The New Yorker

These fun little toys are made of a material that is absorbant and expandable.

The Guardian

AS ALL governments know, health budgets are infinitely expandable.

The Economist

The world is infinitely expandable, in other words.

The Economist

He has been developing so-called expandable space habitats, a technology he bought from NASA a number of years ago.These habitats, which are folded up for launch and then inflated in space, were designed as interplanetary vehicles for a trip to Mars, but they are also likely to be useful general-purpose accommodation.

The Economist

Hence the interest in a new system that NASA, America's space agency, is testing to make helicopters safer.The idea comes from an expandable honeycomb cushion which Sotiris Kellas, an engineer at the agency's Langley Research Centre in Hampton, Virginia, came up with to help absorb the impact of landing a space capsule.

The Economist

To go there, however, he will have to prove that the expandable habitat does indeed work, and also generate substantial returns on his investment in LEO, to provide the necessary cash.If all goes well, the next target will be L1, the point 85% of the way to the moon where the gravitational pulls of moon and Earth balance.

The Economist

In addition to two USB ports, it has a 2GB micro-SD card which is expandable up to 32GB.

The Economist

Better still, the new design promises a more reliable and more easily expandable system, which is also simpler to manage.

The Economist

Nonetheless, a few trends are clear.The first is that labour supply has proved more expandable than anyone expected.

The Economist

And in the 1990s NASA proposed sending astronauts to Mars in an inflatable craft called Trans Hab.Despite thebranding possibilities offered by the Livermore version of the idea, Mr Bigelow and NASA prefer the less evocative term "expandable module" in their literature.

The Economist

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

In technical writing, specify the exact limits of how much something can be "expandable" (e.g., "expandable up to 64GB") for clarity.

Common error

Avoid using "expandable" to describe abstract concepts like time or feelings. Instead, use words like 'extensive' or 'growing' as appropriate.

Linguistic Context

The word "expandable" primarily functions as an adjective. It modifies nouns to describe their capacity to increase in size, volume, or scope. As evidenced by Ludwig, this is usually applied in contexts where physical expansion is possible.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

48%

Encyclopedias

35%

Formal & Business

10%

Less common in

Science

4%

Academia

2%

Reference

1%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "expandable" is a versatile adjective used to describe the capacity for something to increase in size or scope. Ludwig AI confirms its correct grammatical standing and widespread usage. It appears frequently in news, encyclopedias, and formal business contexts. While synonyms like "expansible" and "extendable" offer similar meanings, "expandable" particularly emphasizes the potential for physical growth or enlargement. When writing, ensure accurate context and note that it may not be appropriate for abstract concepts.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

expansible

Interchangeable term denoting the capability of being expanded.

extendable

Focuses on the act of making something longer or more extensive.

scalable

Specifically implies the ability to increase in size or capacity to meet growing demands.

enlargeable

Highlights the potential for making something larger.

stretchable

Suggests the ability to be lengthened or widened by pulling.

inflatable

Describes something that can be expanded by filling with air or gas.

modifiable

Indicates the capacity to be altered or increased.

developable

Emphasizes the potential for growth or advancement.

augmentable

Implies the capability to be increased in size or quantity.

amplifiable

Suggests the potential for increasing the magnitude or effect of something.

FAQs

How can I use "expandable" in a sentence?

You can use "expandable" to describe items that can be made larger. For example, "This suitcase has an expandable section for extra clothes".

What is a synonym for "expandable"?

Synonyms for "expandable" include "expansible", "extendable", and "scalable". The best choice depends on the specific context.

What's the difference between "expandable" and "expansive"?

"Expandable" refers to the ability to become larger, while "expansive" describes something already large in scope or size.

Is it correct to say something is "infinitely expandable"?

While "infinitely expandable" is sometimes used, it's often a hyperbole. In reality, most things have limits to their expandability, so consider if another word would be more accurate.