Meaning & use
extended
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Meanings
adjectivenot comparable
Lasting longer than usual or longer than first planned.
Grammar: Usually comes before a noun: an extended break.
Patterns
- an extended period
- an extended stay
They took an extended break after the long project.
The store announced extended hours before the holidays.
We got an extended deadline of two more weeks.
adjectivebefore a noun
Larger or fuller than the usual version, with extra parts added.
Grammar: Used before a noun, often in titles: the extended version.
Patterns
- an extended version
- extended warranty
The director's extended cut adds forty minutes.
We bought an extended warranty for the laptop.
The band released an extended edition of the album.
adjectivebefore a noun
Including relatives beyond the parents and children, such as grandparents, aunts and cousins.
Grammar: Almost always in extended family.
Patterns
- extended family
Our extended family gathers every summer.
She lives near her extended family.
The extended family helped raise the children.
adjectivebefore a noun
Stretched out or held out to full length.
Grammar: Often describes limbs or objects pushed out: an extended arm.
Patterns
- an extended arm
He offered a handshake with an extended hand.
The ladder was fully extended against the wall.
A sign hung from the extended arm of the crane.
Common combinations
- extended family
- Her extended family lives in three countries.
- extended period
- The road was closed for an extended period.
- extended stay
- The hotel offers discounts for an extended stay.
- extended warranty
- An extended warranty covers repairs for five years.
- extended deadline
- We have an extended deadline for the report.
Synonyms and how they differ
- prolonged
- Prolonged suggests lasting longer than expected or wanted, often with a negative feeling.
- lengthy
- Lengthy suggests something long and sometimes tiresome, while extended is neutral.
- expanded
- Expanded means made larger in size or scope, not necessarily in time.
- protracted
- Protracted is formal and suggests being drawn out for too long.
Opposites
Word family
Commonly confused: extended or extensive?
extended vs extensive
Extensive means large in area or range, while extended means lengthened or made longer.
Practice
Which phrase uses extended to talk about relatives?
Choose one answer.
Extended family means relatives beyond parents and children. The other phrases refer to coverage, time and a physical gesture.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “extended”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.