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

Particles were out, and fields — expansive, undulating entities that fill space like an ocean — were in.

From Quanta Magazine

It is the perfect geographical recipe for creating expansive wetlands—and therefore the perfect habitat for star-nosed moles.

From Popular-Science

They chose these states because of their expansive and high-quality highway systems, good weather, and large trucking industry.

From Singularity Hub 

After all, under an expansive view of “most valuable,” there can be more candidates from which to choose.

From FiveThirtyEight

Fuel oil began to leak into the expansive turquoise blue lagoon outside the coastal village of Mahébourg.

From Quartz

Like the Scarlett Johansson-voiced operating system in Her, she just became too expansive for you.

From The Daily Beast

Hedwig calls on me to have a much more expansive energy—not so interior.

From The Daily Beast

At such low numbers, we could afford to feel expansive toward foreigners.

From The Daily Beast

During our interview, he was intense, fast, generous with his time, and thoughtful and expansive with his answers.

From The Daily Beast

The secrecy surrounding LRS-B is more expansive than any aircraft program of its size since the 1980s.

From The Daily Beast

The drawing shows the simplicity of parts of this highly expansive steam-engine, beginning the up-stroke with steam of 100 lbs.

From Project Gutenberg

The Herland 33-inch pole high-pressure expansive steam puffer-engine commenced its up-stroke with steam of 150 lbs.

From Project Gutenberg

The Wheal Prosper 16-inch pole high-pressure expansive steam vacuum engine commenced its up-stroke with steam of 100 lbs.

From Project Gutenberg

The principle of expansive working and momentum of moving parts was of necessity modified in its application to pump-work.

From Project Gutenberg

The valve open while the plunger-pole ascended 20 inches, then went the remainder of the 10-feet stroke expansive.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

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