at the expense of
Idioms-
Also, at one's expense.
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Paid for by someone, as in The hotel bill for the sales force is at the expense of the company . [Mid-1600s]
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To the detriment or injury of a person or thing, as in We can't speed up production at the expense of quality , or The laughter was all at Tom's expense . [Late 1600s]
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.
Corporate America, she said in a small group session of three people, is full of toxic behavior—scapegoating, backdoor machinations and leaders clinging to whatever power they have at the expense of good ideas.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 29, 2026
He said he was "all for" renewable energy sites "but not at the expense of covering the greenfield sites".
From BBC ● Jul. 28, 2026
The unfortunate reality is that nearly every period of injustice the U.S. has experienced has come at the expense of human lives.
From Slate ● Jul. 27, 2026
"Doing more personal climate action doesn't seem to come at the expense of broader climate engagement," Dr. Ghasemi says.
From Science Daily ● Jul. 25, 2026
Instead, his appearance was absurd—the empty tract of his chin was at the expense of a worried, overpopulated forehead.
From "Atonement" by Ian McEwan
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.
