expanded

USAGE SUMMARY

"expanded" is a perfectly acceptable and frequently used word in written English.
You can use it to describe something that has grown in size or scope, or something that has been opened out. For example, "The company has expanded its services to include online consultations."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Formal & Business

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

Giving evidence to the House of Commons' international development committee, which is looking into the future of the CDC – Britain's investment fund for developing countries – Andrew Mitchell said the corporation's fund of funds model was too narrow and needed to be expanded.

The Guardian

"As AMC Networks has expanded internationally, we have had a great desire to do something we consider fundamentally strategic, which is to take our content and put it on channels we own," said Sapan.

The Guardian

The kernel is also expanded with kernel extensions (kexts) that allow it to manage hardware features like peripherals, graphics cards, bluetooth, Wi-Fi and the hard drive.

The Guardian - Tech

The police expanded their investigation to cover the Tories after it emerged that they had taken secret loans worth £16m.

The Guardian

Related: Republican elite swarm New Hampshire as host of 2016 hopefuls take the stage The full-to-bursting roster of Republican presidential aspirants expanded again over the weekend after John Kasich, the governor of the crucial swing-state of Ohio, laid the groundwork for a run on the White House with an unusual attack on Wall Street.

The Guardian

"As the ambition of Katie's storytelling has expanded, we've needed to expand the canvas," says Leo Warner, the video director who has worked with Mitchell since 2007.

The Guardian

Peru's economy expanded more than any other during the decade of high commodity prices, led by its mining industry.

The Guardian

The impasse has grown into a crisis as the enrichment programme has expanded over the past few years.

The Guardian

But by the middle of the 18th century, as print culture expanded and literacy increased, some of those most preoccupied with "glory", "credit" and "posterity" were wealthy, powerful or famous married women who resented that their names would die with them.

The Guardian - Books

In a speech to the Westminster Media Forum last summer, Freestone expanded on the difficulties faced by touring companies, and pointed out that, yet again, British theatre is failing to operate on a level playing field.

The Guardian

The success of this three-month trial will determine expanded NSA access to internet buffers in the future".

The Guardian

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "expanded", ensure the context clearly indicates what has been made larger or more extensive. For example, specify whether it's a physical space, a concept, or a set of features.

Common error

Avoid vague sentences like "The project was expanded." Instead, clarify what aspects of the project were "expanded", such as "The project's budget was "expanded"" or "The project's scope was "expanded"".

Linguistic Context

The word "expanded" primarily functions as the past participle of the verb "expand". It describes a state of having become larger or more extensive. Ludwig AI confirms its acceptability and common usage.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

55%

Formal & Business

25%

Science

20%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "expanded" is a versatile and frequently used term, serving as the past participle of "expand" to denote growth or enlargement. Its grammatical function is straightforward, and its communicative purpose involves describing changes in size, scope, or detail. The term exhibits a neutral register, suitable for various contexts, including news, business, and general writing. Ludwig AI confirms its acceptability in the English language. The term appears most often in "News & Media", "Formal & Business", and "Science" contexts.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

broadened

Focuses more on the scope or range that has increased.

extended

Implies an increase in length or duration.

widened

Specifically refers to an increase in width.

enlarged

Indicates an increase in physical size or capacity.

developed

Suggests a process of growth and maturation.

increased

A general term for becoming greater in size, number, or degree.

grown

Emphasizes natural or organic development.

elaborated

Focuses on providing more detail or complexity.

augmented

Implies adding something to enhance or improve.

scaled up

Refers specifically to increasing the size or scope of a business or project.

FAQs

How to use "expanded" in a sentence?

You can use "expanded" to describe something that has grown in size, scope, or extent. For example, "The company "expanded its market share"" or "The museum "expanded its exhibit space"".

What can I say instead of "expanded"?

Depending on the context, you can use alternatives like "broadened", "extended", "increased", or "developed".

Which is correct, "expanded" or "enlarged"?

Both "expanded" and "enlarged" can refer to something becoming bigger, but "enlarged" typically refers to physical size, while "expanded" can also refer to scope, influence, or other non-physical attributes. Choose the word that best fits the context.

What's the difference between "expanded" and "extended"?

"Expanded" implies growth in multiple dimensions or aspects, while "extended" typically refers to an increase in length or duration. For instance, you might say a company "expanded" its product line, but it "extended" its warranty period.