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View synonyms for expense

expense

[ ik-spens ]

noun

  1. cost or charge:

    the expense of a good meal.

    Synonyms: expenditure, outlay

  2. a cause or occasion of spending:

    A car can be a great expense.

  3. the act of expending; expenditure.
  4. expenses,
    1. charges incurred during a business assignment or trip.
    2. money paid as reimbursement for such charges:

      to receive a salary and expenses.



verb (used with object)

, ex·pensed, ex·pens·ing.
  1. to charge or write off as an expense.

verb (used without object)

, ex·pensed, ex·pens·ing.
  1. to be expensed.

expense

/ ɪkˈspɛns /

noun

  1. a particular payment of money; expenditure
  2. money needed for individual purchases; cost; charge
  3. plural incidental money spent in the performance of a job, commission, etc, usually reimbursed by an employer or allowable against tax
  4. something requiring money for its purchase or upkeep

    the car was more of an expense than he had expected

  5. at the expense of
    to the detriment of

    he succeeded at the expense of his health

“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged” 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

verb

  1. tr to treat as an expense for book-keeping or tax purposes
“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged” 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
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Other Words From

  • ex·penseless adjective
  • preex·pense noun
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Word History and Origins

Origin of expense1

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English, from Late Latin expēnsa, noun use of feminine of expēnsus, past participle of expendere “to weigh out, pay”; expend
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Word History and Origins

Origin of expense1

C14: from Late Latin expēnsa, from Latin expēnsus weighed out; see expend
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Idioms and Phrases

Idioms
  1. at the expense of, at the sacrifice of; to the detriment of:

    quantity at the expense of quality.

More idioms and phrases containing expense

see at the expense of ; go to the trouble (expense) ; money (expense) is no object .
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Synonym Study

See price.
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Example Sentences

“Her alleged actions impacted the potential for improved learning environments across major school districts by selfishly prioritizing personal expenses.”

Opponents and economists said that by striking down the proposed minimum-wage increase, voters signaled that they were nervous about businesses raising prices to offset their added labor expenses.

On Monday, Bishop Brennan said a larger review under the investigation detected other instances of administrative impropriety, including Mr Gigantiello using a credit card for personal expenses.

From BBC

It comes as Elon Musk, via his quasi-governmental Department of Government Efficiency, is promising massive cuts in federal spending, which would necessarily be at the expense of those who rely on social programs.

From Salon

Flores opened three different bank accounts in Sawusch’s name and used funds to pay for his and Moore’s personal expenses and to finance his nascent public relations company.

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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.

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expenditureexpense account