extent
Americannoun
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the space or degree to which a thing extends; length, area, volume, or scope.
the extent of his lands; to be right to a certain extent.
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something extended, as a space; a particular length, area, or volume; something having extension.
the limitless extent of the skies.
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U.S. Law. a writ, or a levy, by which a debtor's lands are valued and transferred to the creditor, absolutely or for a term of years.
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English Law.
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Also called writ of extent. a writ to recover debts of a record due to the crown, under which land, property, etc., may be seized.
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a seizure made under such a writ.
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Logic. extension.
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Archaic. assessment or valuation, as of land.
noun
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the range over which something extends; scope
the extent of the damage
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an area or volume
a vast extent of concrete
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law a writ authorizing a person to whom a debt is due to assume temporary possession of his debtor's lands
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logic another word for extension
Usage
What is extent? Extent is the length, area, volume, or scope something reaches to, as in The extent of Sheree’s knowledge of science fiction was very deep.Extent is a very common term that can refer to measurements, concepts, ideals, plans, and many other fields that measure anything, literal or figurative.Extent can also refer to something that has a lengthening, stretching out, or enlarging scope, especially when the boundaries aren’t known. You might hear someone talk about the limitless extent of space, for example.The phrase the extent of means that something has reached the extreme or the border of how far it can go, as in I can raise your allowance by $5, but that’s the extent of what I can do.Example: We know that the pan can get hot, but we are unsure to what extent.
Other Word Forms
- preextent noun
Etymology
Origin of extent
First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English extente “assessment,” from Medieval Latin extenta, noun use of feminine of Latin extentus “stretched out,” past participle of extendere “to stretch out”; extend
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Oil traders and brokers scrambled to assess the extent of the disruption, including whether traffic could still pass through the Strait of Hormuz, a vital thoroughfare for energy supplies.
The extent of any damage is unclear and the US has not commented.
From BBC
It remains unclear the extent of the campaign and what its ultimate aim will be.
From Los Angeles Times
The extent of any casualties or injuries are unknown at this point.
From BBC
“We found them breeding in people’s backyards, and that didn’t happen in prior years, not to this extent.”
From Los Angeles Times
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
