- able or tending to expand or characterized by expansion
- wide; extensive
- friendly, open, or talkative
- grand or extravagant
WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2026
ex•pan•sive /ɪkˈspænsɪv/USA pronunciation
adj.
WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026- having a wide range;
extensive. - cordially welcoming;
outgoing: an expansive host. - tending to expand or capable of expanding;
causing expansion: the expansive force of heat.
ex•pan•sive
(ik span′siv),USA pronunciation adj.
ex•pan′sive•ly, adv.
ex•pan′sive•ness, n.
- having a wide range or extent;
comprehensive;
extensive:expansive mountain scenery. - (of a person's character or speech) effusive, unrestrained, free, or open:Our expansive host welcomed us warmly.
- tending to expand or capable of expanding.
- causing expansion:the expansive force of heat.
- Thermodynamicsworking by expansion, as an engine.
- Psychiatrymarked by an abnormal euphoric state and by delusions of grandeur.
- expans(ion) + -ive 1645–55
ex•pan′sive•ness, n.
- 2. . sociable, extroverted, outgoing, genial, unreserved; gushy, gushing.
Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::
expansive /ɪkˈspænsɪv/ adj
'expansive' also found in these entries (note: many are not synonyms or translations):
expansivity
- communicative
- elastic
- expansion bit
- expansive bit
- expansive classification
- gay
- tabular
- steam engine
- swell