expansive

[ ik-span-siv ]

adjective

1. having a wide range or extent; comprehensive; extensive:

   expansive mountain scenery.

2. (of a person's character or speech) effusive, unrestrained, free, or open:

   Our expansive host welcomed us warmly.

   Synonyms: gushing, gushy, unreserved, genial, outgoing, extroverted, sociable

3. tending to expand or capable of expanding.
4. causing expansion:

   the expansive force of heat.

5. working by expansion, as an engine.
6. Psychiatry. marked by an abnormal euphoric state and by delusions of grandeur.

expansive

/ ɪkˈspænsɪv /

adjective

1. able or tending to expand or characterized by expansion
2. wide; extensive
3. friendly, open, or talkative

   an expansive person

4. grand or extravagant

   an expansive way of life

5. psychiatry lacking restraint in the expression of feelings, esp in having delusions of grandeur or being inclined to overvalue oneself or one's work

Derived Forms

• exˈpansively, adverb
• exˈpansiveness, noun

Other Words From

• ex·pan·sive·ly adverb
• ex·pan·sive·ness noun
• non·ex·pan·sive adjective
• non·ex·pan·sive·ness noun
• o·ver·ex·pan·sive adjective
• o·ver·ex·pan·sive·ness noun
• un·ex·pan·sive adjective
• un·ex·pan·sive·ness noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of expansive¹

First recorded in 1645–55; expans(ion) + -ive

Example Sentences

The unanswerable question at the moment is how much of his expansive, repugnant, and frequently grandiose policy vision does he intend to pursue?

From Slate

The lights of Century City flicked on in the distance, and the expansive view of the Pacific Ocean disappeared from sight.

From Los Angeles Times

“Compact yet beautifully expansive, Orbital invites us to observe the Earth’s splendour, whilst reflecting on the individual and collective value of every human life,” the Booker Prize judges wrote.

From Los Angeles Times

More impressive than the results under Bellamy has been the expansive new style of play the former Liverpool and Manchester City forward has introduced.

From BBC

Stylistically, the team switched from a kick-first gameplan at the World Cup to a more expansive approach during the spring, but the man at the heart of that revolution - scrum-half Alex Mitchell - has missed the two autumn openers.

From BBC

Related Words

• extensive
• far-reaching
• inclusive
• wide-ranging