at the expense of

Idioms  

1. Also, at one's expense.

2. Paid for by someone, as in The hotel bill for the sales force is at the expense of the company . [Mid-1600s]

3. 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]

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Example Sentences

They avoid hospitals, often at the expense of their own family’s health.

From Salon • Apr. 4, 2026

Higher rates make yield-bearing assets like Treasury bonds more attractive at the expense of gold.

From Barron's • Mar. 31, 2026

They explore how Top Model’s central promise—a fast track to a career in the fashion industry—was ultimately an illusion used to make great television at the expense of the contestants.

From Slate • Mar. 31, 2026

“It is a shame that USC has decided to elevate one candidate at the expense of others,” Swalwell wrote on X on Sunday.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 23, 2026

False color image of the Great Red Spot, in which the computer has exaggerated reds and blues at the expense of greens.

From "Cosmos" by Carl Sagan