English Reference
adjective

expansive

adj.
US /ɪkˈspænsɪv/ UK /ɛkspˈænsɪv/ ex·pan·sive

  1. 01 C1 Advanced Academic

    covering a wide area or including a lot of information and detail.

    comprehensive in scope, extent, or detail; covering a vast area.

    Simple

    The professor gave an expansive talk about the history of the entire region.

    In context

    The report provides an expansive overview of the economic factors that contributed to the decade-long recession.

  2. 02 C1 Advanced Literary

    friendly, open, and willing to talk a lot to other people.

    characterised by a high degree of sociability, openness, and a willingness to communicate freely.

    Simple

    After a few glasses of wine, he became very expansive and told us his life story.

    In context

    The CEO was in an expansive mood during the dinner, sharing anecdotes that he usually kept private from his staff.

  3. 03 C2 Proficiency Technical Science

    having the power or tendency to grow larger or spread out.

    capable of expanding or tending to expand in size, volume, or quantity.

    Simple

    The expansive force of the gas caused the container to leak.

    In context

    Engineers must account for the expansive properties of the clay soil before laying the building's foundation.

    contractive

Photograph: Magdalena Wosinska Summed up in a sentence The Californian sonic experimentalist dabbles in various genres, from folk to windswept goth-rock a la Evanescence, on this expansive ninth album.

The Guardian· 15 Aug 2026

Each of these books illustrates that learning, for Black children and all children, is expansive and can be rooted in joy .

The Conversation· 14 Jul 2026

From Latin expāns-, past-participle stem of expandere (“to spread out”; see expand) + -ive.

Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

This entry
Level C1 · Advanced
Frequency Frequent
Updated