v. 1
To increase in extent.
v. 2
To possess a certain extent; to cover an amount of space.
The desert extended for miles in all directions.
v. 3
To cause to increase in extent.
v. 4
To cause to last for a longer period of time.

Related words

Word family: extendable extender extensible extension extensive extent

Forms

Past participle: extended
e.g. extended → stretched, lengthened, prolonged, reached…

Choose the right word

Extend, Develop, Expand, Expatiate, Dilate or Enlarge?

We may develop a thought, expand an illustration, extend a discussion, expatiate on a hobby, dilate on something joyous or sad, enlarge a volume, unfold a scheme, widen the range of treatment.

J. C. Fernald, English Synonyms and Antonyms (1914)

Example sentences

stretch My friend got to ride a stretch limousine to prom!
prolong Look, I don't want to prolong this--you're fired.
lengthen The coat is a bit too short. Can you lengthen it?
broaden She suggested reading more books to broaden the mind.
widen They're trying to widen the road to the village.

Popularity over time

Word	1850 → 2019	Trend
extend		falling
stretch		rising
prolong		steady
lengthen		steady
broaden		steady

Use in printed books, per decade from 1850 to 2019.

By length

2 letters: go¹
3 letters: run¹, jut¹
4 letters: give¹, lead¹, pass¹, grow¹
5 letters: cover², range¹, offer², reach¹, carry², apply², yield¹, swell¹, exert², widen²
6 letters: spread¹, afford², expand², deploy², impart², dilate²
7 letters: project², produce², stretch¹, inherit³, diffuse², broaden², prolong², enlarge², augment², amplify³, thicken², distend²
8 letters: increase², continue³, lengthen², elongate³, protrude²

The small number after each word is its number of syllables (cover² = 2 syllables).

In other languages

Français: étendre
Italiano: stendere
Deutsch: verteilen
Català: estendre