finance
Americannoun
-
the management of revenues; the conduct or transaction of money matters generally, especially those affecting the public, as in the fields of banking and investment.
-
finances, the monetary resources, as of a government, company, organization, or individual; revenue.
verb (used with object)
-
finances,
present (3rd person singular)
-
financed,
past participle, past
-
financing
present participle
verb (used without object)
-
finances,
present (3rd person singular)
-
financed,
past participle, past
-
financing
present participle
noun
-
the system of money, credit, etc, esp with respect to government revenues and expenditures
-
funds or the provision of funds
-
(plural) funds; financial condition
verb
-
(tr) to provide or obtain funds, capital, or credit for
-
(intr) to manage or secure financial resources
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
-
superfinancenoun
-
prefinanceverb (used with object)
-
self-financeverb (used with object)
-
underfinanceverb (used with object)
-
financeableadjective
-
unfinancedadjective
-
well-financedadjective
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
-
financesimple
-
financessimple
-
have financedperfect
-
has financedperfect
-
am financingprogressive
-
are financingprogressive
-
is financingprogressive
-
have been financingperfect progressive
-
has been financingperfect progressive
Past
-
financedsimple
-
had financedperfect
-
was financingprogressive
-
were financingprogressive
-
had been financingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of finance
First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English finaunce, from Anglo-French, Middle French finance, from fin(er) “to end, settle, pay” ( see fine 2) + -ance -ance
Explanation
To finance something is to pay for it, like using the money you earn at your part-time job to finance your cell phone bill. As a verb, it carries two very different meanings: "to pay for" or "obtain on credit." So, if you can finance your trip, it means you have the money to pay for it. Anyone who works in finance, meaning the banking and investment industry, will tell you plenty of people get in trouble by letting credit cards finance things like vacations.
Vocabulary lists containing finance
"Women in Aviation," Vocabulary from the informational text
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
Richard Nixon's "Checkers" Speech (1952)
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
Economics
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
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.
See Examples For:
The G20 finance talks also set the stage for a leaders' summit that Trump will convene in December in Miami.
From Barron's ● Sep. 1, 2026
The World Bank alone directed 48% of its lending to climate finance.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 1, 2026
The Chancellor is in the USA attending a meeting of global finance ministers and central bankers.
From BBC ● Sep. 1, 2026
Founded in 2021, Bilt is one of the hottest startups in the personal finance industry.
From Salon ● Sep. 1, 2026
He still needed Egypt’s wealth to finance his army.
From "Sterling Biographies®: Cleopatra: Egypt's Last and Greatest Queen" by Susan Blackaby
County Public Defender’s Office said she was “not at liberty to disclose financial information” but a thorough evaluation of Burke’s finances confirmed he was eligible for the services of the public defender’s office.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 31, 2026
But its business model has come under intense scrutiny over environmental and human rights concerns, while US and European Union crackdowns on cheap imports are squeezing its finances.
From BBC ● Aug. 31, 2026
Choose powers of attorney carefully: Parents usually appoint their children to oversee their care and finances if they get ill or lose mental capacity.
From BBC ● Aug. 30, 2026
That’s a needed corrective, but district finances are still in trouble, and the union demands won’t help.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 30, 2026
The women involved may have wanted to support temperance and other reform movements, but ultimately men controlled the finances.
From "Votes for Women!" by Winifred Conkling
Iger would not discuss plans for the Lakers or how they financed the deal.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 30, 2026
Austrian police and Europol also recently dismantled another people-smuggling ring financed through hawala, which officials said had transported about 100,000 people into Europe over 18 months.
From BBC ● Aug. 30, 2026
It was financed by venture capital firms and hedge funds, and aimed to increase profits from overseas clients.
From Salon ● Aug. 24, 2026
But every other chip in the data center can be pointed at whatever model comes next, which is the assumption underneath the current depreciation schedules the AI buildout is financed on.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 20, 2026
"This is getting us nowhere, Mr. McSouthers. Just write: Westing connection: Education financed by Sam Westing. Debt never repaid."
From "The Westing Game" by Ellen Raskin
The IMF said in its statement that it would also require "receipt of the necessary financing assurances from Senegal's partners".
From Barron's ● Sep. 1, 2026
An extension of this fad is the massive increase in debt financing.
From MarketWatch ● Sep. 1, 2026
Concern has been rising over Nvidia’s involvement in securing financing for data-center projects it is supplying and for investments in companies that are also customers.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 1, 2026
Westinghouse estimates an “overnight cost” of roughly $10 billion per reactor—a sum that omits financing charges and assumes that reactors could theoretically be built overnight.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 31, 2026
We spent our time, significantly, between the three- block section on Auburn Street where Negro financing and industry controls some eighty million dollars, and the section of the six Negro colleges.
From "Black Like Me" by John Howard Griffin
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.
