expanse
noun
ex·panse
ik-ˈspan(t)s 
1
2
: great extent of something spread out
an expanse of calm ocean
Synonyms
Examples of expanse in a Sentence
The explorer gazed across the vast Arctic expanse.
the great explorers who crossed the vast expanses of the seven seas in small ships
Recent Examples on the Web
The pastoral backcountry is an alloy of dust and juniper welded into a knobby expanse.
—
Mare Czinar, The Arizona Republic, 18 Apr. 2024
The visual language became that of an awards show performance, with low-angle shots from the stage interspersed with drone shots showing the expanse of the crowd.
—Paul A. Thompson, Pitchfork, 15 Apr. 2024
In the nineteen-fifties, TV irrevocably disrupted the public habit and ritual of going to the movies, but, at the same time, the vast expanse of airtime that needed filling brought old films—which had hitherto been rarely seen after their initial commercial releases—to new viewers.
—Richard Brody, The New Yorker, 10 Apr. 2024
It’s taken a decade, but Raul Rojas and Thomas Zamora have turned a Highland Park yard of hard dirt and junked cars into a lush expanse of native plants, succulents and vegetables.
—Ryan Fonseca, Los Angeles Times, 3 Apr. 2024
So the treetop walkway looks out on an expanse of empty dirt.
—Andrew Higgins, New York Times, 20 Mar. 2024
Revitalizing International Business In the vast expanse of international commerce, the X1 AI Interpreter Hub emerges as a vital compass, guiding conversations and collaborations across the diverse linguistic landscape of global business.
—William Mullane, USA TODAY, 16 Mar. 2024
On this barren landscape roughly the size of Switzerland, there are no roads or human settlements—just an endless expanse of shimmering white, occasionally punctuated by an ancient baobab tree.
—Chris Schalkx, Vogue, 15 Mar. 2024
In coastal cities from Naples to Venice, the sea glitters tantalizingly in the afternoon sun, but beneath its surface lurks an unknowable expanse of bottomless blackness.
—Judy Berman, TIME, 4 Apr. 2024
Mare Czinar, The Arizona Republic, 18 Apr. 2024
The visual language became that of an awards show performance, with low-angle shots from the stage interspersed with drone shots showing the expanse of the crowd.
—Paul A. Thompson, Pitchfork, 15 Apr. 2024
In the nineteen-fifties, TV irrevocably disrupted the public habit and ritual of going to the movies, but, at the same time, the vast expanse of airtime that needed filling brought old films—which had hitherto been rarely seen after their initial commercial releases—to new viewers.
—Richard Brody, The New Yorker, 10 Apr. 2024
It’s taken a decade, but Raul Rojas and Thomas Zamora have turned a Highland Park yard of hard dirt and junked cars into a lush expanse of native plants, succulents and vegetables.
—Ryan Fonseca, Los Angeles Times, 3 Apr. 2024
So the treetop walkway looks out on an expanse of empty dirt.
—Andrew Higgins, New York Times, 20 Mar. 2024
Revitalizing International Business In the vast expanse of international commerce, the X1 AI Interpreter Hub emerges as a vital compass, guiding conversations and collaborations across the diverse linguistic landscape of global business.
—William Mullane, USA TODAY, 16 Mar. 2024
On this barren landscape roughly the size of Switzerland, there are no roads or human settlements—just an endless expanse of shimmering white, occasionally punctuated by an ancient baobab tree.
—Chris Schalkx, Vogue, 15 Mar. 2024
In coastal cities from Naples to Venice, the sea glitters tantalizingly in the afternoon sun, but beneath its surface lurks an unknowable expanse of bottomless blackness.
—Judy Berman, TIME, 4 Apr. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'expanse.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near expanse
Cite this Entry
“Expanse.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/expanse. Accessed 25 Apr. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
expanse
noun
ex·panse
ik-ˈspan(t)s
: a wide space, area, or stretch
the vast expanse of the ocean
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