extend

To make something longer or increase the area or time it covers.

• They extended the road.
• Can we extend the meeting by ten minutes?
• The shop has extended its opening hours.

How to use it: extend something by an amount (They extended the course by two weeks.); extend something to something (We plan to extend the road to the village.)

Similar words: lengthen, expand, prolong

Opposites: shorten

Common phrases: extend a deadline, extend a road, extend something by something, extend your stay

To reach across a particular distance, area, or period of time.

• The beach extends for miles.
• These records extend from 1850 to 1920.
• How far does your land extend?

How to use it: extend from A to B (The garden extends from the house to the stream.); extend across something (The forest extends across two countries.)

Similar words: stretch, reach, span

Common phrases: extend from something, extend to something, extend across something

To offer someone help, friendship, an invitation, or good wishes.

• We extend our thanks to everyone.
• She extended an invitation to her neighbors.
• The school extends a warm welcome to new students.

How to use it: extend something to someone (The family extended their thanks to the nurses.)

Similar words: offer, give

Common phrases: extend an invitation, extend sympathy, extend a welcome

To increase the amount of food or another substance by adding cheaper ingredients or water.

• We extended the stew with potatoes.
• Adding beans will extend the filling.
• They extended the paint with a little water.

How to use it: extend something with something (You can extend the soup with extra stock.)

Similar words: stretch, bulk out

Common phrases: extend the stew, extend with something, extend the mixture