Arid expanses refer to vast, dry and waterless landscapes that are often void of vegetation and inhospitable to life. Synonyms for arid expanses include deserts, drylands, wastelands, or barren lands. These terms depict the harsh and unyielding nature of such environments, where precipitation is scarce and temperatures can soar to extreme levels during the day. Barren lands are particularly apt for areas that are completely without life while drylands can refer to arid regions with low precipitation but some hardy vegetation. All these synonyms capture the essence of the hostile and unforgiving terrain that arid expanses so vividly describe.