expand
/ɪkˈspænd/verb
expand is spelled E-X-P-A-N-D: 6 letters and 2 syllables. It appears 22 times per million words in written English, the 3,939th most frequent word form (wordfreq, 2021 data). As a verb, expand means “To change (something) from a smaller form or size to a larger one; to spread out or lay open” (English Wiktionary, September 2026).
How many letters and syllables are in expand?
| Letters | 6: E-X-P-A-N-D |
|---|---|
| Syllables | 2 (from its American pronunciation) |
| In writing | 22 times per million words; the 3,939th most frequent word form |
| Wrong spellings searched | none measured in search |
Sources: letters and syllables from the English Wiktionary's hyphenation or pronunciation and the CMU Pronouncing Dictionary; written frequency: wordfreq 3.1 (a 2021 snapshot of Wikipedia, subtitles, news, books, web text and social media).
How common is expand?
Expand appears 22 times per million words in written English, the 3,939th most frequent word form in the list.
Source: written frequency: wordfreq 3.1 (a 2021 snapshot of Wikipedia, subtitles, news, books, web text and social media).
How do you pronounce expand?
- /ɪkˈspænd/
- /ɛkˈspænd/
Expand has 2 syllables (counted from its American pronunciation in the CMU Pronouncing Dictionary).
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract). Recordings: LL-Q1860_(eng)-Vealhurl-expand.wav, Wikimedia Commons (author and licence on each file's page).
Forms of expand
- expands present, singular, he/she/it
- expanding participle, present
- expanded participle, past, singular, he/she/it, plural
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).
What does expand mean?
The meanings the English Wiktionary records, quoted as written there (source below).
verb
- 1
To change (something) from a smaller form or size to a larger one; to spread out or lay open.
You can expand this compact umbrella to cover a large table.
- 2
To increase the extent, number, volume or scope of (something).
A flower expands its leaves.
- 3
To express (something) at length and/or in detail.
- 4
To rewrite (an expression) as a longer, yet equivalent, sum of terms.
Use the binomial theorem to expand #123;(x#43;1)#125;⁴.
- 5
To become, by rewriting, a longer, yet equivalent, sum of terms.
The expression #123;(x#43;1)#125;⁴ expands to x⁴#43;4x³#43;6x²#43;4x#43;1.
- 6
To multiply both the numerator and the denominator of a fraction by the same (non-zero) number (which yields a fraction of equal value).
Expanding 4#47;7 by 3 gives 12#47;21.
- 7
To change or grow from smaller to larger in form, number, or size.
Many materials expand when heated.
- 8
To increase in extent, number, volume or scope.
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).
Expand in Spanish, French, German and Portuguese
| Language | Words |
|---|---|
| French | agrandir , développer , élaborer |
| German | expandieren, vergrößern |
| Spanish | ampliar , expandir, profundizar, explayar |
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract). Translations are Wiktionary's, by sense; a linked word has its own PlainSpell page.
Where does expand come from?
Recorded in Middle English since 1422 (as expanden, expaunden), from Anglo-Norman espaundre, from Latin expandō (“to spread out”), itself from ex- (“out, outwards”) + pandō (“to spread”). Doublet of spawn.
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).