extension

noun

Simple meaning

Act of expanding in scope.

Pronunciation

Say it like this:

ihkstehnshuhn

Say the bold part a little louder.

US device voice

IPA pronunciation (US)

ɪksˈtɛnʃən

This word is pronounced essentially the same in American and British English, so one transcription covers both.

IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) is a standard way of writing speech sounds.

Word Review

Definition

Everyday modern meanings first, grouped by part of speech.

noun

Act of stretching or straightening out a flexed limb
The act of extending; a stretching out; enlargement in length, breadth, or time; an increase.
The state of being extended.
That property of a body by which it occupies a portion of space (or time, e.g. "spatiotemporal extension").
A part of a building that has been added onto the original.
An outgrowth; a part of something that extends its capabilities.

Word at a Glance

Difficulty: A2 · Elementary
Frequency: Common
Typical Use: Varies by meaning

Word Aura™

How this word commonly comes across.

Aura for this meaning

This meaning: Act of expanding in scope; making more widely available

Used this way, extension is a common word that usually carries little praise or criticism of its own. It usually sounds natural in a wide range of settings.

Heard in a sentence

“Extension of the program to all in need.”

Emotional tone: Neutral
Formality: Neutral
Intensity: Not strongly marked
How common: Common
Connotation: Matter-of-fact
Usage feel: Neutral and straightforward

Usage note

It most often appears in the pattern “extension of …”, which is worth copying when you use it.

Nearby words

annexe , used mainly in Regional English

Natural pattern: extension of …

Word Aura describes common impressions, not a measurement. Tone changes with sentence, speaker, relationship and situation.

More ways to use extension

“They applied for an extension of the loan.”noun
“The dancer was praised for her uncanny extension.”noun

Common Patterns and Combinations

How this word naturally appears with others.

extension servicefile extensionagricultural extensionextension workcooperative extensionlogical extensionnatural extension

Tap the highlighted word to open its own entry.

Word Family

Related forms, grouped by how they connect.

Compound terms

Established multiword terms.

extension agentnounCompound term
An advisor employed by the government to assist people in rural areas with methods of farming and home economics.
extension cordnounCompound term
An electric cord used to extend the length of a power cord.
extension coursenounCompound term
A course offered as part of an extension service.
extension laddernounCompound term
A ladder whose length can be extended.
extension phonenounCompound term
An additional telephone set that is connected to the same telephone line.
extension servicenounCompound term
An educational opportunity provided by colleges and universities to people who are not enrolled as regular students.

More about this wordSynonyms, forms, origin

Synonyms

Sense: stretching or straightening out a flexed limb

wingelongationdenotationannexprolongationuniversity extensionannexeRegional

Antonyms

Sense: stretching or straightening out a flexed limb

contraction

Use This Word

See how this word sounds in a real sentence.

Ask Vocabaura

Understand the word your way.

What Does It Mean Here?

Words can change meaning depending on context.

Use it yourself

Knowing “extension” starts when you use it. Pick a next step, all free.

Know the meaning? Practice using it in a real situation, free, no credits.

Dictionary data from Wiktionary via the Free Dictionary API. Simple meanings, combinations and word intelligence are built from verified reference data, no AI is used to load this page.