expansively
B1Pronunciation
UK
- /ɛkspˈænsɪvli/
US
- /ɛkspˈænsɪvli/
Description
- broadly
- at length
- in a wide way
- openly
- with large gestures
Imagine a storyteller sharing an incredible tale. They do not just tell you what happened; they describe it expansively, adding lots of detail and making the whole scene feel bigger. To do something expansively means to do it in a broad, open, or wide-ranging way. A host might gesture expansively to welcome guests into their home, spreading their arms as if making room for everyone. Someone might also speak expansively about a trip or a plan, going on at length and covering many parts of it. The word often suggests openness, confidence, or a sense of fullness.
The word "expansively" describes something done or expressed in a broad, open, or wide-ranging manner. It often gives the sense of something spreading outward, taking up space, or covering a lot of ground. Depending on the context, it can describe the way someone speaks, writes, moves, or even how something is arranged or built.
You might say someone spoke expansively about a new project, meaning they did not just mention it briefly, but talked about it at length and in a broad way. A writer might describe a landscape expansively, giving it a wide, vivid feel. A person can also gesture expansively, using large arm movements that seem warm, dramatic, or confident.
The word can sometimes suggest warmth, ease, or generosity, especially when it describes a person's manner. But it does not always mean kindness. Sometimes it simply means broad in scale, full in expression, or extended in detail. In business or design contexts, it may even point to something spreading outward over a large area or growing in scope.
So, if something is done expansively, expect breadth, openness, or extension, whether that means speaking at length, moving with large gestures, or describing something in a broad and vivid way.
Examples
- 1
Speaking at length
After a few minutes, he began speaking expansively about his plans for the restaurant.
- 2
Memoir writing
In her memoir, she writes expansively about growing up in a small fishing town.
- 3
Broad gesture
The tour guide waved expansively toward the harbor as the boat came in.
- 4
Legal interpretation
The court declined to read the law expansively.
Pattern
read a law expansively
interpret it broadly, not narrowly
- 5
Lavish lifestyle
In his twenties, he lived expansively, with expensive suits and weekends in Paris.
Phrase
live expansively
spend money freely and on a large scale
Forms and spellings
1 form open this card.
Main spelling
- expansivelyadverb