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Synonyms

expend

American  
[ik-spend] / ɪkˈspɛnd /

verb (used with object)

  1. to use up.

    She expended energy, time, and care on her work.

    Synonyms:
    empty, consume
  2. to pay out; disburse; spend.


expend British  
/ ɪkˈspɛnd /

verb

  1. to spend; disburse

  2. to consume or use up

"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

Related Words

See spend.

Other Word Forms

  • expender noun
  • overexpend verb
  • preexpend verb (used with object)
  • unexpended adjective
  • well-expended adjective

Etymology

Origin of expend

1400–50; late Middle English, from Latin expendere “to weigh out, lay out, pay”

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.

Still, perhaps all this energy expended on creating a fictional narrative of global solidarity has not been wasted.

From Salon

And — perhaps most importantly — how much energy do you actually have to expend?

From Salon

Privately funded science can be controversial, but OceanX notes that its research is all publicly accessible, and it partners with government and institutions often unable to expend their limited resources on marine science.

From Barron's

So drivers will have to make choices about when to expend energy at various points on a lap for optimum racing.

From BBC

That would be a July 4 fireworks display compared with what U.S. forces would expend in a Pacific confrontation.

From The Wall Street Journal