Definition

1. Noun:
   • The act or process of becoming larger or more extensive: "Expansion" refers to the action of increasing in physical size, volume, quantity, or scope.
   • A more detailed treatment or elaboration: "Expansion" can mean the act of adding information, detail, or discussion to a topic.
   • A mathematical expression written as an extended sum or product: In mathematics, "expansion" is the result of writing a function or expression in an extended form, such as a series.

Examples of Usage

• General Increase:
  • The rapid expansion of the city led to new suburbs.
  • The company's expansion into new markets was successful.
• Adding Detail:
  • The second edition of the book includes an expansion of the final chapter.
  • His report required further expansion on the key points.
• Mathematical Context:
  • The expansion of the polynomial (x+1)³ is x³ + 3x² + 3x + 1.
  • Students learned about the binomial expansion in class.

Advanced Usage

• "Thermal expansion": The increase in size of a substance due to a rise in temperature.
  • Engineers must account for the thermal expansion of metal bridges.
• "Expansion team": A new team added to a sports league.
  • The league announced the addition of two expansion teams next season.
• "Expansion pack": Additional content created for a video game or other product.
  • The new expansion pack adds dozens of hours of gameplay.

Variants and Related Words

• Expand (verb): To increase in size, number, or importance; to give a fuller version or account.
  • The business plans to expand its operations.
  • Could you expand on that idea?
• Expansive (adjective): Covering a wide area; extensive, or relaxed and communicative.
  • They own expansive farmland.
  • He was in an expansive mood, talking for hours.
• Expansionism (noun): A policy of increasing a country's territory or economic influence.
  • The nation's history is marked by a period of imperial expansionism.

Synonyms

• Enlargement: The act of making something bigger.
• Extension: The action of making something longer or larger; an added part.
• Growth: The process of increasing in size, number, or development.
• Elaboration: The addition of more detail to something.

Related Phrases

• "Undergo expansion": To experience a process of becoming larger.
  • The airport is currently undergoing a major expansion.
• "Room for expansion": The potential or space to grow.
  • We bought a property with plenty of room for expansion.

Idioms

• "The expansion of the universe": (Scientific idiom) The observation that the universe is increasing in scale.
  • Edwin Hubble provided evidence for the expansion of the universe.

Noun

1. adding information or detail
2. a discussion that provides additional information
3. a function expressed as a sum or product of terms
   • the expansion of (a+b)^2 is a^2 + 2ab + b^2
4. the act of increasing (something) in size or volume or quantity or scope