an estimate, often itemized, of expected income and expense for a given period in the future.
a plan of operations based on such an estimate.
an itemized allotment of funds, time, etc., for a given period.
the total sum of money set aside or needed for a purpose.
the construction budget.
a limited stock or supply of something.
his budget of goodwill.
Obsolete. a small bag; pouch.
to plan allotment of (funds, time, etc.).
to deal with (specific funds) in a budget.
an itemized summary of expected income and expenditure of a country, company, etc, over a specified period, usually a financial year
an estimate of income and a plan for domestic expenditure of an individual or a family, often over a short period, such as a month or a week
a restriction on expenditure (esp in the phrase on a budget )
(modifier) economical; inexpensive
budget meals for a family
the total amount of money allocated for a specific purpose during a specified period
archaic a stock, quantity, or supply
(tr) to enter or provide for in a budget
to plan the expenditure of (money, time, etc)
(intr) to make a budget
First recorded in 1400–50; late Middle English bowgett, from Middle French, bougette, from bouge “bag” (from Latin bulga; see bulge) + -ette -ette )
A budget is a sum of money set aside and divided up to cover particular expenses. Like allotting certain amounts for food, rent, movies, and manicures every month to make sure you don't run out of cash. From the Middle French bougette, the noun budget translated to “leather pouch” when it was first used in the early 15th century. Perhaps a leather pouch to hold gold coins? It wasn’t until 1733 that the word took on the more specific financial meaning it has nowadays. You can budget all sorts of things, including time, money, and energy. Every year, Congress tries to balance the federal budget — but that's no easy task.
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Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
More than half its budget is paid for with a $300,000 grant from the U.S.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 28, 2026
That’s especially true for small-market clubs, who have determined that allocating a large portion of their payroll to someone who will throw 65 innings all season isn’t necessarily a smart use of their budget.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 28, 2026
"We've always had some enthusiastic supporters, but keeping the budget under control is never easy," Gabriel told the BBC.
From BBC ● Jul. 27, 2026
Yet Barclays analysts expect the U.S. to face a roughly $2 trillion budget deficit in 2026, and see Treasury issuance playing a role in filling that gap.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 26, 2026
Thanks to my upcoming quinceañera, my budget is only forty-five dollars, practically nothing.
From "I Am Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter" by Erika L. Sánchez
News of the funding cuts first broke last fall in a post on X from Russell Vought, director of the White House’s Office of Management and Budget.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 28, 2026
She runs the Instagram account Glos Budget Mum,, external which gives tips for cheap things to do with kids in the county.
From BBC ● Jul. 25, 2026
Budget airlines have complained that that cards give bigger airlines an edge.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 17, 2026
Budget reconciliation is the process by which lawmakers can pass spending and tax legislation with a simple Senate majority.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 16, 2026
“Right there is James Atlas, the writer from The New Yorker. Over here, that’s Frank Raines. He is the head of the Office of Management and Budget in the Clinton administration.”
From "The Other Wes Moore: One Name, Two Fates" by Wes Moore
Dransfield said "no-one's arguing with the fact that budgets are finite" but described the decision as short-sighted given the UK's leading role in radio astronomy on the international stage.
From BBC ● Jul. 29, 2026
Companies are coming around to a radical idea: They don’t have to blow their budgets on artificial intelligence.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 25, 2026
Emergency repairs or system failures almost always result in overtime requests, stretching budgets and leading to burnout among employees, according to more than half of utility executives who responded to the survey.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 25, 2026
As inflation continues to squeeze household budgets, parents and students are on a mission to find back-to-school bargains.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 23, 2026
There are no organization charts, no budgets, no elaborate strategic plans.
From "The Tipping Point" by Malcolm Gladwell
“I think we’ve budgeted for more than enough,” van Regteren said.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 25, 2026
Jamie's budgeted for dates in the past and would "think about where I could make savings elsewhere that week be it from my food or transport budget"
From BBC ● Jun. 19, 2026
“If the answers are honest and you can afford it without destabilizing yourself, have the best time and go! Don’t let anyone guilt you out of joy you’ve budgeted for,” she told MarketWatch.
From MarketWatch ● Jun. 12, 2026
Ultimately, it will dampen the very economic activity Congress budgeted to preserve.
From Barron's ● May 5, 2026
But they bowed to Sproul’s judgment that losing Lawrence would be even costlier, and voted to cover all the annual operating and maintenance costs that Lawrence had budgeted for the Rad Lab.
From "Big Science" by Michael Hiltzik
Onigbinde describes it as "a symptom of the dysfunctional budgeting process".
From BBC ● Jul. 11, 2026
California is budgeting $135 million for new electric vehicle incentives, with special exceptions for California-based companies.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 8, 2026
In the county commission’s budgeting process, which is currently under way, commissioners are preparing two budgets for next year—one if the amendment passes and one if it doesn’t, said Chairman Ralph Thomas.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 8, 2026
“Ideally, budgeting strengthens your relationship with money. Every dollar coming in and out has a purpose,” Stettner wrote.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 7, 2026
She had traveled for stories a few times in the past—down to Columbus, to investigate state budgeting cuts; up to Ann Arbor, when a former Shaker student had started at quarterback in the Michigan-OSU game.
From "Little Fires Everywhere" by Celeste Ng
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.
