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noun B2 Upper-Intermediate Common

expansion

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Expansion (noun) means the act or process of becoming larger, or an instance of this happening. Example: “The rapid expansion of the town put pressure on local schools.”

noun
1
The act or process of becoming larger, or an instance of this happening.
"My new office is in the expansion behind the main building."
"The expansion of metals and plastics in response to heat is well understood."
"The rapid expansion of the town put pressure on local schools."
"The company announced the expansion of its warehouse to meet demand."
"Bread dough shows steady expansion as it rises in a warm room."
2
A measurement of how much a material's length increases for each degree that its temperature rises.
"Look up the expansion of 1018 steel at stick welding temps and figure out how far this thing's gonna bend once we weld it up."
"The expansion of aluminium is higher than that of steel."
"Scientists listed the expansion for each material in a table."
"A material with low expansion is ideal for precision measuring tools."
3
Something extra that is added to increase the size or scope of a thing.
"The new wing was an expansion built onto the original hospital."
"The library's expansion includes a children's reading room."
"The house has a small expansion at the back for a kitchen."
4
An extra item that is designed to be used together with something you already have.
"This board game has an expansion with new characters and cards."
"The expansion pack adds forty new levels to the game."
"I bought a memory expansion for my old laptop."
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The rapid _____ of the town put pressure on local schools.

Etymology

Borrowed from French expansion, which came from Latin expānsiō; on the surface, it breaks down as expand plus -sion.

Related words

Rhymes for expansion

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Frequently asked questions

What is the meaning of expansion?
"expansion" (noun) means the act or process of becoming larger, or an instance of this happening.
What is another word for expansion?
Other words for "expansion" include elaboration, enlargement.
What is the opposite of expansion?
The opposite of "expansion" is contraction.
What are the different meanings of expansion?
"expansion" has 3 main meanings: 1. The act or process of becoming larger, or an instance of this happening; 2. A measurement of how much a material's length increases for each degree that its temperature rises; 3. Something extra that is added to increase the size or scope of a thing.

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