expend

[ ik-spend ]

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

/ ɪkˈspɛnd /

verb

1. to spend; disburse
2. to consume or use up

Derived Forms

• exˈpender, noun

Other Words From

• ex·pender noun
• over·ex·pend verb
• preex·pend verb (used with object)
• unex·pended adjective
• well-ex·pended adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of expend¹

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

Word History and Origins

Origin of expend¹

C15: from Latin expendere, from pendere to weigh

Synonym Study

See spend.

Example Sentences

Kelly confirmed that some of the CEOs of Ginkgo’s partners, including the head of Motif, raised concerns to him about the unpredictable way Ginkgo was expending the foundry credits they’d been awarded.

From MIT Technology Review

It’s a little depressing to think of all the energy that was expended to get those toys across the sea, through the ports, on the railways, and in a truck, to my doorstep.

From Time

For the nautilus, the energy expended for swimming also allows for respiration.

From Nautilus

However, the existence of those contracts and what has been expended on them can be public information.

From Voice of San Diego

Commissioner Nadia Keilani ultimately signed an order compelling SDPD — not the city attorney — to turn over the evidence Cusack believed she was owed, but not before expressing frustration over the energy being expended by the court.

From Voice of San Diego

You may not win a medal, but it will help you expend some calories while you watch.

From The Daily Beast

The assumption is that obesity is fundamentally caused merely by consuming more calories than our bodies choose to expend.

From The Daily Beast

The fatter we get, the more we need to eat, and the less energy we will expend.

From The Daily Beast

As Carter writes, “Within the limits of the energy [Letterman] was now willing to expend, he was still trying.”

From The Daily Beast

We were both to look to Fraser, Trenholm & Co., for all the money we were to expend, as indeed were all the diplomatic agents.

From Project Gutenberg

But Peter and Sogrange were both of them too wise to expend any more of their strength in a useless struggle.

From Project Gutenberg

Mind that none of my nephews or nieces expend any fraction of their guineas on presents for me.

From Project Gutenberg

He was therefore naturally anxious not to expend more than was absolutely necessary in defraying his passage.

From Project Gutenberg

Any individual who has time and patience to expend ad libitum, cannot desire a fairer field of exercise than the ‘Bibliotheca.’

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• ante up
• consume
• disburse
• dispense
• dissipate
• put out
• use up