expendable

American  

[ik-spen-duh-buhl] / ɪkˈspɛn də bəl /

adjective

1. capable of being expended.

2. (of an item of equipment or supply) consumed in use or not reusable.

3. considered to be not worth keeping or maintaining.

4. Military.  (of personnel, equipment, or supplies) capable of being sacrificed in order to accomplish a military objective.

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noun

1. Usually expendables. an expendable person or thing.

expendable British  

/ ɪkˈspɛndəbəl /

adjective

1. that may be expended or used up

2. not essential; not worth preserving

3. able to be sacrificed to achieve an objective, esp a military one

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noun

1. something that is expendable

Other Word Forms

• expendability noun
• nonexpendable adjective

Etymology

Origin of expendable

First recorded in 1795–1805; expend + -able

Example Sentences

While this Talon was expendable, a future version will be capable of landing on a runway for reuse.

From Seattle Times

But when we called them essential, what we were really doing was deeming them expendable.

From Los Angeles Times

Still, it does at least create the impression that discipline is something that happens to the expendable much more than the indispensable.

From New York Times

Hamas, on the other hand, is expendable yet deadly.

From Los Angeles Times

"A life should never be expendable where it has been taken unlawfully."

From BBC

Related Words

• disposable
• superfluous
• unimportant