verb
-
to spend; disburse
-
to consume or use up
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.
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 • Jan. 26, 2026
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 • Jan. 7, 2026
You would expect Talling to be tasked with combating the brilliance of De Goede, with her work at mauls a potential way to expend some of the Canadian's energy.
From BBC • Sep. 25, 2025
However other research suggests drinking cold water might temporarily boost metabolism, as the body needs to expend energy to warm it up to body temperature.
From Salon • Sep. 3, 2024
I could set the temperature of the Hab higher than normal, meaning my body would expend less energy keeping its temperature.
From "The Martian" by Andy Weir
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.
