The Oxford Thesaurus An A-Z Dictionary of Synonyms - expandv.

1) enlarge, spread (out) , extend, increase, open (out or up) , swell, inflate, distend; unfold: His waistline began to expand as he approached middle age. 2) prolong, lengthen, stretch, dilate: An elastic valve expands easily. 3) increase, extend, amplify, magnify, broaden, widen, augment, heighten, develop: The minister sought to expand his influence. 4) Often, expand on. detail, enlarge on, embellish, develop, amplify, expatiate on or upon, elaborate (on) ; flesh out: The speaker expanded on the topic of health insurance.